Words Hurt, Shego
by RevSrVixena
Summary: Shego never thought that words could hurt, but what if it was a single word that did all the damage? KIGO
1. Whatever

**Words Hurt, Shego**

_This story is not for profit. It's based on a true argument. The characters and the details have been changed to make it a far more interesting tale. This is a very, very belated birthday ditty for my friend, BD._

**1. Whatever**

Shego was bored. She was sitting, her feet propped up on a sofa chair, arms crossed, waiting for her employer, Drakken, to do something 'brilliant'. Instead of being his usual manic self, reminiscing about the good old days of world domination and how Canada was his for the taking, Drakken had been quietly sitting at a table oblivious to his surroundings; too quietly for Shego's liking. On top of that, the scientist had give the handful of henchmen who had remained loyal to him, a day off. That courtesy was not extended to his long suffering sidekick.

Normally Shego did not care. As long as she got paid, she was not bothered by the plans the blue man had in stall for her. They were all dumb. After all these years with Drakken, she had developed a routine of sorts as a way of coping, but of late this was not enough to get her through the day. She was extremely agitated and desperately needed something to break that feeling. Sleeping, training in the gym, doing her nails and letting rip at Drakken with some brilliant sarcastic zingers only accounted for a small portion of the her day, and gave her very little satisfaction.

Shego was now the one that wasn't able to sit still; and that was a first. If it weren't for the fact she treasured her long and luscious raven locks, Shego would have started pulling out her hair. She was tempted to start yanking out the long strands of Drakken's mullet, just to give herself something to do, but she was sure Drakken had not handed all of his toys over to Global Justice, so she did not risk it.

The former villainess focused her attention towards Drakken. From her position low on the sofa, she could not see what her employer was doing. His head was hanging low, and appeared very close to the table surface. His blue, scarred face was swaying side to side like a typewriter, and his black ponytail was swishing with every movement. It looked downright weird, even weird by Drakken's standards. Shego was not able to ascertain what exactly he was doing. "Dr D, why are you kissing the table?"

"I'm not," replied the scientist. From where Shego sat it looked like he was. "Then, what are you doing?"

Drakken lifted his head and glanced over to the green woman. "Shego, I am reading."

"Aren't you going to ruin your eyes like that?"

"No. I have you know, I have perfect twenty-twenty vision."

Shego rolled her eyes. Like she believed that. He probably had hairs on his palms too. "So, what is it you are reading so intently?"

"The newspaper. It is the scintillating Middleton Tribune."

Shego arched a sculpted eyebrow. "Scintillating, Dr D? Really? The Middleton Tribune?" Now she had heard everything.

The Middleton Tribune was a provincial newspaper that just happened to be a located in a town that was a hub for nerdy scientists, villains who were keen to steal their work, and annoying teenage heroes hoping to bring it back. It had its own space centre. Middleton also seemed to attract the unusual; alien invasions and toy robot armies. No wait that last one was Drakken. In any case, Shego thought the Middleton Tribune was a mediocre paper despite of all the excitement the town generated.

The former villainess had to admit she was biased because the paper had not shown her or Drakken in a positive way. It didn't help that the pair seemed to return to Middleton time and time again to test the newest evil scheme. Shego was never sure what it was that kept bringing Drakken back there. Maybe it was because his mother wasn't in the small town, like she wasn't going to watch it on television.

That was in all in the past. There was no reason for the Middleton Tribune making snide comments about the pair whenever they could. It was like the Lowardian invasion didn't happen and the green woman was still a wanted criminal. If the world could acknowledge their courageous efforts why couldn't that damn provincial paper? Shego was tempted to revert to her bad girl ways and show the editor of the paper what a bright spark could actually do.

"Oh you'd be surprised, Shego," said Drakken drawing her back. "The science section is quite extensive and the daily crossword is quite challenging." The blue man continued reading, ignoring his sidekick once again.

"You never used to read the Tribune."

"This is true. I never needed to. In the good old days I got all my information from the Super Villains Guild newsletter or a Hench Co catalogue."

"Is that where you got the tips to rip off Dementor?"

"I heard that on occasion he liked to don on the lederhosen for the ladies. Like that would work." Drakken snorted.

Where the hell did that came from, thought the green woman. There was no logic to the man sometimes. She was tempted to ask, but Drakken continued with his original train of thought. "It was all his own fault you know. Dementor liked to do his own promotion, arrogant and boastful little man that he is. Besides Shego, I don't call it stealing. It was outsourcing."

In the mood she was in, the green woman did not appreciate the difference. Shego even resented the fact that Drakken seemed so relaxed. If she was not happy, no one could be. "Don't you have a deadline?"

"Most probably. Shego, you know I don't pay attention to those sort of details."

"You don't pay attention to details, period!"

The former villainess decided to needle her employer even further. "Why aren't you being the brilliant scientist you claim to be? I doubt Betty's deal includes you slacking off on GJ time so you can read the paper."

"But Shego, I often get inspired reading the paper, especially during the long stints in the bathroom. Why do you think I have a notebook and pen next to the pan?"

"Eww, too much info Doc, way too much info," said Shego shuddering. She had an unwanted mental image of her boss doing his business, his pants around his teeny weenie blue ankles.

Drakken gave his sidekick a manic grin, obviously enjoying her discomfort before he lowered his head and continued with the paper. It wasn't long before the blue man started pounding his tiny black gloved hands on the table. He was very excited about something he had just read.

Shego cast Drakken an enquiring look. "What's got you in such a tizzy?"

Drakken looked up and addressed the green woman. "It says here, that the word 'whatever' was voted the most annoying word for the third year in a row."

"So?"

"You like the word 'whatever', Shego."

Shego's eyes narrowed, "Your point, Dr D?"

"Well, it says here that 'whatever', not only is the most annoying word for the third year running, it is also the quickest way to kill a conversation."

"Again, what's your point?" Shego asked, but this time with menace.

"You often finish our conversations with 'whatever'." The green woman's forehead furrowed instantly, her black lined lips snarling.

Drakken persisted; he was oblivious to Shego's growing annoyance. "When you say that word, I feel like you're dismissing me like some underling. We have been through thick and thin, Shego. We are practically family. It also shows a total disregard for my feelings. It is very hurtful. Words hurt, Shego."

The former villainess just stared at the blue man. Why did he insist on saying her name in every second sentence? It was annoying beyond belief. Then the point of what the mad scientist was saying sunk in. Shego stood and started moving towards Drakken. "I'll show you hurtful." Her fingers glowed green.

Drakken lifted his tiny hands to shield his face. "Shego, I was just making conversation. I'm not trying to infuriate you. If anything I'm trying to help you." The blue scientist finished with a squeal. Shego was close enough to burn him.

"Help me how?"

"Well, you have been rather down since you came back. I was wondering what happened and whether you had an argument with Miss Possible and ..."

"And what?"

"And, I wondered if that is the reason why you're not talking to her."

"What reason?"

"You know, the most annoying word in the world, three years running."

Drakken had hit a nerve. A low guttural sound escaped from Shego's lips. She lurched forward wanting to hurt the scientist but stopped her plasma when she saw Drakken flinch. "Dr D, that is none of your business." Instead, Shego poked her employer hard in the chest and then pushed him away with her flat palm. "Ah, whatever!" Drakken surprised Shego by not reacting and actually standing his ground. He just rubbed his chest without a complaint.

For a few minutes, neither Drakken nor Shego spoke, just eyeing one another. "That's exactly what I mean. See, an instant conversation killer."

"Then why are you still talking?"

"Shego, normally I do not get involved with your personal life. What you do on your days off is up to you. But after your last vacation, you have come back very irritable and quite frankly, you have been extremely mopey. It's very annoying."

"You're calling me mopey and annoying?" Shego could not believe her ears. That was rich coming from Drakken. The blue man was really pushing his luck today.

"Yes, yes you have been. You have been distracted. You've been secretive and not at all part of our evil family."

Shego could not refute most of Drakken's points and chose to focus on the one she could, "Might I remind you Dr D, that we are no longer evil after our deal with GJ."

"Yes, but we are still a family. The henchmen noticed your behavior and have flagged it with me."

"How long have you been sitting on this, Dr D?"

"A few weeks," the blue man admitted sheepishly.

"My vacation was only a few weeks ago," said Shego.

"Well, you did put a few of the henchmen out of commission on your first day back. They complained you were too rough with them. You even referred to Bob as Kim before you kicked him. He cracked a rib that day. You have not asked him once how he was doing. Bob is still sore and very sore with you, Shego. And you made the situation worse by causing a commotion when you refused to go to Becker's birthday dinner like you promised."

"The little gossips!" Shego was furious at the thought of the henchmen and Drakken talking behind her back.

Shego thought back to the time Drakken was referring too. Instead of coming back refreshed and recharged, she had come back the complete opposite. Shego's whole demeanor screamed pissed off at the world. She barely had control of her plasma. All efforts to centre her mind and to meditate were exercises in uselessness. She was holding stress in her body like never before. Shego's shoulders and buttocks were in desperate need of a good massage. Midas was ignoring her calls. Despite the numerous threats to the man with the golden touch, he was not willing to cancel an appointment to fit Shego in any earlier. Midas was booked solid for the next three months.

Shego did take her mood out on the henchman. She knew she was being irrational but she couldn't help it. She had seen Bob go down in pain when she had kicked him in the ribs but she didn't do anything to help. Shego had been too wound up. It was Becker who took Bob to the emergency ward. Afterwards, when she had cooled down, Shego had been too embarrassed to face Bob. Instead of just apologizing and moving on, she chose to ignore him.

When Becker asked if Shego was going to attend his birthday dinner and drinks at the local steak house, she made a scene so she wouldn't have to face the guys in such a personal environment. Shego didn't ask the boys to help her spar from that point. The working relationship was strained enough. Instead she spent many hours in the gym on her own. Even though it tired her out, it gave her little pleasure.

Shego knew the avoidance worked both ways. The henchmen steered clear of being near her at all opportunities. There were references to 'that time of the month' or 'guess who is not getting any'. It was never said out loud, or said directly to her but the green woman overheard the comments. And even though Shego was determined not to voice her feelings, the comments upset her. Shego just didn't know how to fix it.

Drakken broke her reverie. "Don't be angry, Shego. We care about you."

For a second, Shego thought that Drakken looked like he was going to pat her on the arm but decided against it. He's a smart man, thought the former villainess. "Why didn't you say something?" Shego demanded.

"Every time one of us comes close, you take umbrage. The henchmen asked me to talk to you on their behalf but I haven't found the right opportunity. Until now." Drakken played with his ponytail nervously. "So, do you want to talk about it? A trouble shared is a trouble halved."

The former villainess sat down on the table next to her boss. Her mood went from angry and defiant to be deflated in seconds. As much as she hated to admit it, she did need the help and Drakken wasn't completely useless. She desperately wanted to make peace with Bob and the boys. Shego did not glance at the blue man when she whispered her reply, "Yeah. I might as well."

"Why don't we get more comfortable in the kitchen over some cocoa-moo and cookies. I made a new batch this morning." Drakken was giving Shego a pout of sorts. It looked unnatural on his scarred face.

"Alright, alright. I'll play along. Let's get this straight. This is a one off experience for you. Enjoy it while you can, Dr D."

"Excellent Shego." The blue man's pout disappeared. He flashed his sidekick a grin. It was one she couldn't quite interpret, but she followed him to the kitchen just the same.


	2. However

**Words Hurt, Shego**

_This story is not for profit. It's based on a true argument. The characters and the details have been changed to make it a far more interesting tale. This is a very, very belated birthday ditty for my friend, BD._

**2. However**

The former villainess stared silently at her cup of hot chocolate. It was on the way to getting cold, again. Shego had already reheated it once with her finger. Other than a small cookie that Drakken had eaten while waiting for Shego to begin, the plate of baked treats laid out between them remained untouched.

The black haired beauty looked up at her boss. She was unsure of how to explain the situation to the blue man. She had never talked to Drakken about anything personal. In the past Drakken had simply found out things without the two of them ever having a discussion. Shego hadn't told him about her family, in particular her dumb ass brothers or that she began a relationship with Kimmie.

Shego had not been looking for a relationship, especially not after the whole Lowardian drama. The former villainess could not believe she found love amongst the chaos, let alone being involved with a hero like Kim Possible.

Shego and Drakken for all their efforts had been pardoned, with conditions of course. Global Justice were rubbing their hands in glee, contracting the pair in the aim of harnessing Drakken's brilliance for the greater good. The former villainess hoped that Betty and Global Justice knew what they were getting into with Drakken, and that the organization had enough insurance to cover the moments when Drakken didn't think things through, and he often didn't. A giant wheel of cheese anyone?

Betty's first condition surprised Shego. Instead of a brand new lab for Drakken to work in, the Global Justice head put the pair to work with the public, community service. Even the words bought a bad taste to Shego's mouth. As far as she was concerned, she had done a lifetime of service when she was a hero in Go City. Betty's logic was the pair needed a strong deterrent. They needed to understand that rebuilding was definitely not as fun as destroying. A few minutes of enjoyment watching something explode took months and sometimes years of planning and construction to restore. There were always consequences.

Middleton, the surrounding towns and some of the state had been almost flattened by the Lowardians. One of the tasks that Betty insisted Shego and Drakken participate in was help rebuild homes and infrastructure. Shego's initial reaction was not one of her better moments. She launched a ten-minute diatribe. If she wanted to build she would have become Bob the Builder. All the former villainess wanted to do was just enjoy the luxury of not being on the run. Betty Director listened patiently, waited until Shego had run out of puff and then began her counter argument. By the time the one eyed Global Justice head finished, Shego felt completely ashamed of herself. She knew she had to delay her relaxation indefinitely.

Along with Kimmie and Stoppable, the two newly reformed villains were ordered to go on the road. Well Drakken and Shego were ordered. The young heroes simply volunteered their services. The objective was to travel to needy communities and support the locals in any way they could. Kim, in her usual hero way inspired people to get back on their feet and start rebuilding their lives. The redhead was also quite partial to rolling up her sleeves and helping with the most mundane task. Shego needed much more coaxing. She had built her criminal career on being the muscle and not actually using hers, unless of course it was a good rumble with Kimmie.

Being on the road threw up many unexpected issues. With all the rebuilding, the accommodation options were limited. Shego had flatly refused to share a room with Drakken. The blue man did not care what the sleeping arrangements were but for Shego it was humiliating that every second person they encountered assumed they were lovers. She was tempted to have a T-shirt made up that said 'I'm not with stupid'. Shego wasn't interested in men and if she were, it would certainly not be someone who shared the same properties as a cockroach and had such an annoying mother who continually called to see if her son had fresh underwear.

Kim and Ron Stoppable had been going out since their senior year, but they had not taken their relationship to the next level. The teens had not said so directly, but Shego could see it from the body language. The redhead's reaction to the suggestion of shacking up with her boyfriend was atomic. Shego could not believe someone could turn that red. Kim being the goody two shoes that she was, volunteered to share a room with the reformed villainess while they were out on the road so she wouldn't be stuck with Drakken. Shego suspected it was a way of saving face. Whatever Kim's true intentions were, she was grateful to the redhead for the offer. Although she never expressed it, Shego knew that she had gotten the better end of the bargain.

Drakken and Stoppable continually bickered. On occasion Shego and Kim had to storm into their room to break up the girly slapping arguments. The pair seemed to have conflicting circadian rhythms. Drakken preferred to stay up all night, whereas the teen liked his eight hours sleep. The scientist also resented the blond teen's perkiness each morning. Drakken was continually grumpy at having been made to wake so early, day in day out, away from his lab and mother. Even when they had a day off, Ron did not let Drakken sleep in with his noisy morning routine.

Drakken incessantly complained about sharing a room with the Buffoon. It was funny how he failed to remember Ron's name, but never forgot that derogatory term. Ron complained that the scientist didn't do any manual labor. Drakken's hands were far too small to carry anything. The blue man refused to wear anything but his heavy blue coat and often overheated. Shego thought both men were stupid.

The other issue the two had, revolved around food. Drakken did not eat regular meals and would store provisions in the refrigerator for when he was hungry. Ron on the other hand was always starving and was prone to emptying out the mini bar wherever they were, never replacing the food he had eaten or he brought in bags of Bueno Nacho. The smell of bad fats lingered for days.

The working arrangement had started to really fray nerves. It was noticeable with the two heroes. Initially, the teenagers worked hard during the day and would try and spend some quality time together at night. Date night was difficult when neither had a space they could call their own, away from prying eyes. Shego tried to give the couple some room. It wasn't like she cared what they got up to, she was once like that too, but the raven haired beauty found it uncomfortable to be in their presence. The teens just looked awkward together.

After a few weeks Shego could see that there was something wrong. At first, Shego thought it was her imagination; she believed she had seen hairline cracks forming but it soon became obvious, there were chinks in the chipper, can do facade. One evening after a long day out in the field and even longer civic function, Kim did not even pretend that everything was okay.

Kimmie stormed back to their hotel room that night crying. Shego had been enjoying having the night off. With her roommate away, she had given herself the works, nails, hair, facial and her favorite film, Enter the Dragon. At first Shego tried to ignore her former nemesis, focusing her attention on the movie, but the sound of the redhead's sobs were difficult to ignore.

Shego signed. Bruce would have to wait. She paused her film and went to find out what the issue was. That was her first mistake. Kimmie sobbed on her shoulder for what felt like hours. Apparently Stoppable was being less than the ideal boyfriend. He was once again ignoring Kim. Shego's second mistake was asking questions about Stoppable's track record. More sobbing on the shoulder followed.

Shego couldn't blame Kimmie for feeling the way she did. As far as she could tell through the incoherent weeping, the blond hero was being a jerk. He was allowing all the adoration and attention bestowed upon him by grateful citizens go to his head. Well their attractive daughters at least. His long-suffering girlfriend had had enough and called it quits.

Despite her better judgment, Shego gave the redhead a few pats on the back, voiced a few 'there, there's' and offered some encouraging words of advice, a lot of other fish in the sea, and other such clichés. Hey, she was totally out of her depth here. Its not like she had any practice with Drakken and the henchmen. The younger female seemed to appreciate the attention offered and calmed down. The green woman thought no more on the matter. Until the night that Kim decided to turn her into her cuddle buddy.

KPKPKPKP

Shego turned off her night-light. She was exhausted. Each day she used her plasma powers to break down boulders and other troublesome materials so they could be removed easily. It was soul crushing and exhausting work. Some nights all she wanted to do was crawl into bed. Tonight was one of those nights.

As the green woman plumped her pillow in preparation for sleep, she could feel the mattress depress behind her. Shego realized she was not alone. She turned and bumped her skull on the bed head. She swore before demanding, "What the….? Princess, what the hell do you think you are doing?"

"I'm cold." Kim simply replied.

"Then get another blanket. Better still use mine. I never use it."

There was no response. The redhead had not moved. "Kimmie, why are you still here?"

"Shego, can I sleep with you tonight?"

"No! It's bad enough that we are forced to share a room and everything else, you're not getting my bed as well." Shego did not think it was wise to inform the teen that sharing a room with Drakken was even worse. It wouldn't help her case.

"Please?"

"Give me one good reason why I should let you."

"I miss my family, my bed and my Pandaroo. I'm homesick."

"That makes no sense, Princess. You're an adult now. Deal with it. Cut the frigging ties."

"Please, Shego just this once." The teen was pleading with her.

The green woman gave in. "Kimmie, I'm beyond exhausted. If I say yes, you better not disturb me, for any reason. Do you understand?"

"Ah ha."

"Alright. Just this once, Pumpkin."

The teen quickly settled next to her. It was a bit too close for Shego but she refrained from commenting. She just wanted to shut her eyes. Before she could let sleep take her to la-la land, Kimmie stirred next to her. Shego could feel her bed partner's fragrant breath on her cheek. What was Kimmie up to, thought Shego? Her answer arrived when soft lips gently rested on black lined ones. Oh this is new, thought the older woman. She so wasn't expecting a sneaky kiss from Pumpkin. The raven haired beauty tensed a little, but made no effort to move away. She was also curious to know where this was headed. Kimmie became more confident and started to deepen the kiss. The green woman was caught up in the moment and just gave in to the teen's questing tongue. It actually felt good.

Kim broke the kiss and then lay down on her side facing the green woman. She grasped Shego's waist. "Good night, Shego."

OK, thought Shego, if that's the way she wants to play it. "Good night Kimmie." Nothing more was said that evening.

KPKPKPKP

And that's how it began. By day, it was business as usual and at night the ritual was repeated. Shego did not want to open a can of worms by asking the teen what it all meant. Feelings were for suckers. She just enjoyed the contact especially when Kim starting becoming a little more adventurous. Shego let the younger woman set the pace. If the redhead was offering there was no way the green woman was going to throw her sleep buddy out of bed.

After many, many months away from their loved ones and familiar surroundings, Betty Director decided it was time to call the tour off. They had fulfilled their duties and were able to go home. Shego and Drakken were given Drakken's old lair in Middleton to use as their GJ base. Kimmie went back to her family but continued the nightly ritual where she would sneak into the lair to share Shego's bed. This time no one would think to check the air conditioning ducts for her presence.

The raven haired beauty was enjoying all the delicious attention Kim was paying her. Well, right up point the three little words slipped out of the hero's mouth in the heat of the lady loving moment. It killed Shego's libido in an instant and she not able to hide it from her lover. A heated and physical argument ensued, followed by her Princess running out of Shego's quarters in tears.

The green woman was forced to confront her feelings toward the red head that night. At the start of their 'relationship' Shego convinced herself that the arrangement she had with the hero was simply one of friends with benefits, but it was more than that. Somehow, she began to care what Kimmie thought and had grown attached to the younger woman beyond what they did in bed. Shego felt guilty when she saw the fat tears falling down the pale pink face. She had caused them, and that didn't sit well with the reformed villainess. Neither did Kim's accusation that she was Shego's dirty little secret.

The following morning, Shego was determined to talk to Kimmie. She was on her way out to do just that when Drakken waylaid her. He lectured the green woman about noise and the consideration of others. The blue man then left her stunned when he insisted Shego chase her lover to kiss and make up. She didn't understand how Drakken who was normally oblivious to everything around him was able to be so intuitive.

KPKPKPKP

"Shego as much I have tried in the past to read your mind, I'm still not a mind reader. What happened with Miss Possible?"

"We had the best holiday you know, well for the first week anyway. It was the first time either of us was able to get away to relax after the aliens busted everything up. Kimmie even turned off her communicator thingy so Nerdlinger couldn't interrupt. It was just the two of us. We slept in, had some great food, we worked on our tans, saw some shows, and made a little love. Nothing crazy." Shego did not acknowledge Drakken's grimace. It was probably too much information for the scientist but he didn't ask her to stop.

"The second week wasn't so relaxing. Her communicator thingy might have been off but that didn't stop people asking for help. It was really annoying you know. Kimmie being Kimmie couldn't stop herself from helping every single person that asked."

"What happened, Shego?"

"It was just so stupid. One minute Kimmie and I were having the time of our lives and the next she stormed off. We came home separately. Kimmie hasn't returned my texts, emails or my posts on her website. We haven't spoken since." Shego knew that her story was over simplified but that was all Drakken was getting for now.

"What was the last thing you said to her?"

Shego could feel her face flush. She was embarrassed. Mumbling she said, "Mmmm... Whatever."

"See a conversation killer, Shego," said the scientist rubbing it in.

"I knew there was a reason why I didn't talk to you in the first place, Dr D. I don't need to hear a lecture from you right now. Remember, you asked me to share."

"I'm sorry, Shego. I'm just trying to be helpful."

"I know you are, but I feel bad as it is without you adding to it," said the green woman rubbing her temples.

The blue man studied his sidekick quietly. It was disconcerting for Shego. "What?" she asked self-consciously.

"I get the impression you're hiding something from me. Are you sure that's all that happened?"

"More or less." There was no way Shego was going to completely open up to Drakken. She didn't even do it with Kimmie.

Drakken's black eyes narrowed, so that they all but slits on his scarred face. One hand played with his ponytail. It was a sure sign he was thinking. "I think there is only one solution, Shego." The scientist stood and made his way to the door.

"Where the hell do you think you're going? What solution? You can't just leave me hanging here."

"Patience Shego! I have to make a call and I will be right back."

Shego growled with annoyance. "Why is it whenever you had a new evil scheme you just couldn't shut up and now you decide to zip it?"

"I have realized that in the past, I was overly proud and ambitious, and that was my down fall. This is the new and improved Dr Drakken, Shego. One that workshops ideas!"

"Have you lost your fringing mind?"

Drakken just smirked at the green woman in response before rubbing his gloved hands together. "However, in the mean time, try one of my cookies, Shego. They are delicious."

KPKPKPKP

**A/N** - the sneaky lesbian kiss is for you Mistaball.


	3. Whichever

**Words Hurt, Shego**

_This story is not for profit. It's based on a true argument. The characters and the details have been changed to make it a far more interesting tale. This is a very, very belated birthday ditty for my friend, BD._

**3. Whichever**

Kim Possible lay on her bed and just stared intently at her Pandaroo. As much as she was reluctant to admit it, the stuffed toy was wearing with age. The white arms were no longer white, more a dirty off white; the tan legs, tail and ears were looking quite threadbare. The toy had also attracted much lint through many cycles of washing over the years. The redhead still loved her Pandaroo almost more than anything in the world.

As Kim passed all the milestones into adulthood, she refused to relinquish this part of her childhood. The hero could not see herself ever parting with her beloved cuddle buddy even if it made her the object of much derision amongst family, friends and partners. Kim didn't care. The unusual looking toy was Kim's security blanket. The toy had seen it all, never judged her, helped her get a good night sleep and helped realize her dreams, especially when it came to beating Bonnie. Anything is Possible for a Possible, right? And most of all the hero's beloved childhood treasure was a great listener.

"Pandy, the doorbell you heard earlier was the delivery man. He brought over the most beautiful bouquet of flowers. You should have seen it. There were lots of baby's breath, pink peonies and light pink roses. The smell was just divine. The arrangement was really unusual too. "I don't know where she's buying the flowers, but they sure must have cost a pretty penny. The arrangement is really elegant. I would say perfect if it weren't for the peonies.

"I don't think I ever told you, but one time on the way back from a mission, Ron and I had to share a plane with a florist, Carmen. She was so interesting. She sure knew her flowers. I even told Shego about it one night. I guess she was listening. The baby's breath means innocence and purity, and the roses, desire, passion, joy of life, youth and energy. The peonies, well they mean masculinity. I'm not masculine am I, Pandy?" Kim looked around her room. The overwhelming color scheme was pink. It was definitely not masculine. "Maybe that's not what she means. I guess it's not an all a fail. Peonies can mean shame, bashfulness, prosperity, honor and bravery. I resemble some of those meanings don't I?" Pandaroo looked like he agreed.

Kim lovingly rubbed the worn fabric. "The bouquet would have been the kind I thought I would have loved at my wedding." Kim stopped to consider what she had just revealed and could feel the heat infuse her cheeks. She still blushed even in the company of a stuffed toy. "You know what I mean. When I was dating Ron, I actually thought for half a minute that he and I would be together forever and have kids. I still want kids but not with Ron. It's funny how things change so quickly."

Kim didn't want to focus on her best friend and her once girlish dreams. Her mind went back to the woman who had been preoccupying her thoughts for the past few weeks. "That's not all she's sent me. There have been baskets of cookies and expensive Swiss chocolate. You know the kind that melts in your mouth and you savor? Its so, yummy. And the bears that were delivered were adorable. Some of them had these cute little red velvet hearts that were almost as big as the bears themselves. I think my favorite was the bear with all the balloons. The deliveryman placed him on the ground so I could sign for him and he just lifted right off the floor. It was like the bear wanted to give me a huge hug.

"Pandy, I have to be honest with you, I almost gave in and accepted them all. I knew I couldn't. It just wasn't right. I'm sure I made the right decision." Again the stuffed toy seemed to agree with her judgment. "I asked mom to take everything to the hospital when she went to work. Mom doesn't say anything, but I can see she is itching to give me the mom talk. I don't think I'm ready for it yet. I know what mom will say but I have no idea how to explain it to her without mom getting annoyed at Shego and being all protective of me.

"I guess it could be worse. Shego could be on GJ's hit list again. Then mom would try and ground me even though I'm an adult. I guess I'll always be her little girl. Dad is worse don't you agree? I wish he would stop threatening Shego with the rockets."

Kim tugged Pandaroo's ears gently. Ever since she was a small child she had liked the texture of the material between her fingers. "I know that I'm holding a grudge and acting like a kid but I just can't help it. I just can't just let this go. Pandy, she makes me so mad. She's so closed. It's all snarky and plasma and nothing in between. I never quite know what she's thinking. I've always knew that but..."

If the stuffed toy could talk it would have yelped as Kim pinched its ear. "Why can't she tell me what is bothering her instead of pushing me away? And then she just had to take it just that little bit further didn't she? How could I fall in love with an insensitive cow? Okay, she's a beautiful and sexy cow, but a cow nonetheless."

The redhead continued to think about her girlfriend; her former criminal girlfriend. Sure, her girlfriend was once a hero, but the green woman had spent more time cavorting with Drakken and on the run than with her own brothers. "That's the other thing, Pandy. What does it say about Shego that she prefers the company of a mad scientist my dad's age than her own brothers and family? They're nice guys. Even Hego. Sure, he is a little bit of a jerk and has a huge ego, maybe not as big as Mego's, but he means well. The twins absolutely adore her. Actually they all love her. You can just tell in the way they make such as bit deal over her whenever I drag her over to Go Tower. They would do anything for her. Why can't Shego see that? She constantly complains the boys are idiots but whom does she work for? The biggest idiot of all!

"Pandy, I don't like to think bad of people, except for Bonnie but you know how we are, so it's okay. I don't know what to think of Drakken after all these years. Sometimes I think he's mad, annoying, childish and petty but there are other times he's not so bad. If nothing else he's eccentric and never dull. He's the absolute complete opposite to Mr Barkin. Now that man needs to use less starch and let his hair grow a fraction.

"Maybe that's what Shego likes about him. Drakken I mean. We won't talk about Stevie..." Kim giggled at the memory of her girlfriend practically swooning at her former annoying teacher. It was so out of character for Shego to behave that way. The Shego that Kim loved and knew rarely laughed out loud and never giggled. She was quick witted, sarcastic, dry and if you weren't the butt of her jokes, incredibly funny.

Unlike her time as Miss Go, Shego was quite guarded when it came to her emotions. The green woman liked to be in control. When they on the opposite sides and constantly fighting, Shego would try and taunt Kim to get the advantage. The cute nicknames and snippy remarks were part of Shego's strategy to get the upper hand but heaven help anyone who stood in her way. The former villainess was quick to show her annoyance and anger. When it came to other emotions, it was the subtle changes around the eyebrows or the mouth area that were hints to reading Shego's thoughts and moods.

It was only after spending many months with Shego on the recovery effort that Kim realized there was so much more to the older woman than a smart mouth evil villain. Living and working with Shego in such close proximity allowed Kim to see that there was a vulnerable side to the green woman that she took such pains to hide.

"I tell you what, Pandy, once you get past the bitchiness and the whining, which she definitely picked up from spending too much time with Drakken, Shego's a totally different person. She's fun."

Even though the circumstances of her mission were unfortunate, Kim was thankful that she was given the opportunity to see Shego and Drakken under different conditions. The teen loved helping people and after the sitch with the Lowardians, there were a lot of people that needed to be helped. With her parents' blessing the hero agreed to help Dr Director with her plan.

Initially, Kim had found the idea of the recovery effort exciting. She could concentrate on the task on hand without distractions. The hero was in her element. There were no curfews, she was not called out on missions and she was spending time with her best friend and boyfriend, Ron.

After a few teething issues with the sleeping arrangements, Kim adjusted to sharing a room with Shego. It was not like sharing the Possible house with Miss Go. Miss Go was a charming houseguest. Sharing a hotel with Shego was a very different thing. There was no home advantage. There was no Attitudinator influencing Shego. In the hotel room, Shego was not as agreeable, sweet and or accommodating.

The pair had to compromise. The green woman initially laid down the ground rules. She was not Kim's mother and didn't want to live in a pigsty. Kim was informed early on that she had to clean up after herself, or else. If there were anything lying about on the floor, the hero would inevitably find it in bed with her in the morning. After waking up with a few wet towels in her bed, the redhead learnt her lesson. Who knew that Shego was a neat freak thought Kim?

Shego was also an early riser. Kim would often wake to find her raven-haired roommate in the middle of her Tai Chi routine. The teen enjoyed watching the older woman. She was devoid of her usual aggressive energy and was quite graceful. Shego often wore a simple green tank top with no bra and short black shorts. It was difficult to avoid noticing how well Shego filled out the tank top, which often rode up revealing a rippling stomach. The green woman had great muscle definition, long powerful legs and a butt, which you could bounce a quarter off. It was something Kim never noticed with Shego's one piece uniform, which she always thought was far too sexy for work wear.

On a few occasions Shego would catch Kim staring. The teen's instant reaction was to turn a fiery shade. The green woman said nothing; her response was simply her trademark smirk. At the time Kim tried not to think about what she was doing, and if she did think about it, she rationalized that she was watching out of professional curiosity and that she was not fully awake. It was only later that she was able to piece it all together.

One morning after Shego had finished her exercise regime, Kim commented on Shego's fitness. The green woman simply smiled smugly. She then walked over to Kim's bed and whipped off the covers and told the young hero to get out and start exercising. The green woman was of the opinion that Kim was getting flabby. It was all it took for Kim's competitive side to kick in. There was no way Shego was going to look better than what she did.

While Kim's relationship with Shego was improving, her relationship with Ron was getting strained by the day. Date night was like any other night on the road. Ron did not make Kim feel special. He didn't even bother to bring out his coupon book as most of their meals were provided for them. Ron was seriously cruising in their relationship.

The other main issue was Ron was lapping up the attention of being a celebrity. They could not go anywhere without Ron being swamped with adoring fans whom all but ignored the redhead. For Kim it brought a feeling of déjà vu of when Ron had millions of dollars at his disposal and had treated Kim appallingly. The final straw for Kim was the mayor's dinner where Ron was the guest of honor and had received adoration from the mayor and his daughter, Charlotte the Harlot. For once Kim did not care that she may have caused a public scene when she broke up her boyfriend.

Kim had stormed back to her hotel room in tears. She was so angry with Ron. If she was honest with herself it was not possessiveness she was feeling, rather annoyance that her friend had finally achieved the recognition he deserved and she was feeling neglected and unappreciated. "Pandy, I didn't cope with that sitch very well at all. Instead of being happy for my friend, I created a drama. I didn't realize what Ron had put up with during our friendship until that moment. I felt like I was the invisible one, you know, the sidekick whose name no one remembered. That really hurt.

"And I really wanted to rip out Charlotte the Harlot's eyes. She was being a better girlfriend than I was. I should have been the one giving him all the attention but all this time I'd been taking him for granted. I'm not saying that it was all my fault. It wasn't. Ron should have put effort in. Mmmm... That's not right either.

"I guess the real biggie was I was never in love with Ron, well not in the way that counts." Kim hugged her childhood toy as if she was looking for reassurance. "You can never repeat this to anyone, Pandy, but I hooked up with Ron on the rebound. If I was really honest, I was never into him the same way he was into me. When I found out that Drakken played me with the whole Eric sitch, I was so angry and felt unlovable. That's where Shego and Ron came into it. Shego didn't deserve what I did what I did to her. And Ron... I used him to make myself feel better and that's not fair. I feel so ashamed of myself."

Kim sighed deeply. "It turns out Ron wasn't into me either. He said being on the road was just too much pressure for him. He just wanted to go back to being BFF's and was glad that things had turned out well with Shego."

The redhead smiled as she thought about how the former villainess became a potential love interest. It was still a little surreal. One minute Kim had been huffing and puffing about Ron and the next she was nuzzling Shego's long and delicate neck.

After her unceremonious exit from the civic function, Kim had stormed back to her hotel room, slamming the door behind her. The furious teen then flopped on her bed. For a few moments, she had not taken in her surroundings. She realized she was not alone. Kim had glanced towards Shego's side of the hotel room.

The older woman was dressed in the hotel's white bathrobe which clashed with her green skin, her hair wrapped in a similar colored towel, her face was smeared with a thick mud colored paste and her long slender feet adorned with the toe separators that went with a pedicure. The overhead fluorescent lights were off, instead aromatherapy candles placed around the room provided luminance and some ambience. The only other light source was from the flat screen television that was playing the classic martial arts film, Enter the Dragon. If she wasn't so wound up and emotional as what she was, she would have laughed at the juxtaposition.

The distraction had not last long, as Kim could no longer stop her tears from flowing. She did not care that her former archenemy could hear her crying. Kim was surprised when the movie was stopped and Shego sat behind her and asked her what was wrong. It was not the reaction she expected from Shego.

To this day she did not know why she opened up to the green woman but she was glad she did. Kim unleashed all her anger at Ron onto Shego. To her credit the former villainess did not insult her best friend at all. There were no references to Ron being an incompetent buffoon, or his personality generally. Other than a few awkward reassurances, she did not say anything to the teen.

Kim could tell this situation was not Shego's forte. It was what Kim needed right at that moment and the older woman for some reason was willing to oblige. The green woman was a little stiff in hugging her former nemesis but Kim appreciated the physical contact and support. It reminded Kim of Shego's time under the influence of the Attitudinator. Shego as it turns out could be a sweet as Miss Go. And she smelt just as darn good.

After that night, Kim could not get Shego out of her mind. She started noticing the green beauty's physical traits. The teen made sure she was positioned behind Shego during their morning Tai Chi session. The older woman could not see Kim staring at her shapely posterior, breasts and hourglass figure. The physical trait that had the redhead transfixed was the junction of Shego's neck and her well-defined shoulders. She wanted to reach out and lap her tongue over the soft and smooth skin. Until that moment, Kim had tried to convince herself that she was just being an affectionate good friend, just like she was with Monique but she had never thought to lick her school friend. It was far from being the same. Kim had to acknowledge that her feelings towards Shego went beyond those of friendship.

The redhead found she wanted to be near the older woman any chance she could without being too obvious. Kim desperately wanted to repeat the experience of being held by Shego. She thought of scenarios where she could be emotionally close to Shego and get past the snide and prickly wall that surrounded the older woman. Kim thought of walking into the bathroom while Shego was in the shower or falling on top of her by 'accident' but nixed those because Shego would only lose her temper and push the redhead away with her plasma.

In the end Kim went with the option that was the lamest and most clichéd in her opinion but it was one where she gave the green woman the choice. The hero waited for the moment she knew Shego would have the least resistance, where the green woman was exhausted after a long and tiring day out in the field and wouldn't have any extra energy to complain. Kim basically begged to share Shego's bed on the pretense of being cold. She wasn't but Kim knew that without a 'valid' reason, she would be denied.

Kim also made sure she used the same whiny voice she used on her parents to get her own way. Reluctantly the green woman agreed to the request and Kim did not need to be asked twice. She raced over and dived under the covers. Once phase one was completed, she took a deep breath and settled her nerves; Kim went to the next part of her plan. She gently placed a kiss on the very warm body next to her. The hero was encouraged by the fact Shego did not react to her actions and returned the lovely kiss.

When she finally lay back on the mattress, the hero placed a possessive arm around Shego. That was the moment where Kim decided the green woman was not going anywhere in future. Shego was hers now. Kim felt guilty that she had basically manipulated the older woman into being physical with her. She justified it by reassuring herself that Shego could always opt out anytime. She was a big girl. The hero could feel Shego's ample breasts above her hand. Oh, yeah she's a big girl, thought the redhead. It was Shego's decision to play along.

Kim also decided that evening that she wanted something to develop with the older woman. It's just felt too right not to pursue. The young hero concluded the best course action was to proceed with baby steps. As strong as Shego's personality was, she didn't want to scare the former thief off. Shego would not welcome anything overt. And that's how it continued, Kim was the driving force and Shego often pretending it wasn't happening.

"Pandy, in the end I think I dug my own grave. From the beginning I did all the work and Shego just went along for the ride. It's hard to get her to let her guard down, especially in public. She's so suspicious. It was an effort for us to even go away together. Before we booked the holiday, I even had to agree to turn off my Kimmunicator. I get anxious when I'm away from it. I feel naked and disconnected from the world and Wade. Do you know how hard that was for me?" Kim looked down at her childhood toy. "Oh sorry, of course you do. The thing is, she didn't even appreciate the effort. Sometimes I think she doesn't appreciate me."

Kim's hands clenched tight in frustration. "She's quick to be so dismissive of anything I say and of every suggestion I make without even trying it out. It's like she's above it. Why does she have to be too cool for school? If she's so great why doesn't she take charge and take the initiative? She carefully planned all those heists over the years but a thoughtful romantic gesture? Forget it! I just wanted us to do something new and she just scoffed at me.

"Grrrr... She's just so annoying! 'Whatever Kimmie'," Kim said mimicking her green lover. "That's her answer to everything of late. Pandy, I loathe that word. That's really got my goat. Talk about passive aggressive behavior." Kim punched her pillow. She really wanted to punch her insensitive girlfriend, or was it her former insensitive girlfriend? She wasn't sure anymore and because of her current emotional state, wasn't in a hurry to find out.

Kim's mind continued with that line of thinking. Uncharacteristically, the young hero was overcome by fear. Kim lifted her Pandaroo and looked directly at the plastic eyes. "What if she doesn't love me anymore?"

The stuffed toy appeared to look back at its owner incredulously. "Yeah, you're right. If she didn't care, she would be bothering with all those thoughtful gifts."

Kim's mind was now swirling with possibilities. It was like the fog had cleared and she was seeing things for the first time in weeks. The hero slapped her palm against her face in disgust. "Not that I'm excusing her behavior, I'm not, she's still an insensitive cow but she's the same Shego she's always been. It's me Pandy. I have been the complete and utter idiot! This isn't me at all. This isn't how mom and dad raised me.

"I honest don't understand why I have been feeling like this. I usually tackle things head on but I was the one who walked away. I'm the one not returning her calls or acknowledging what she's been doing. I'm the one not communicating. I don't know why I have been hiding in my room and dare I say it, mopey. I don't take things to heart. You know because if I did, Bonnie would have totally been head cheerleader and Drakken would have been ruling the world, well Canada at least."

The young hero reflected on her recent behavior. She had been ignored her girlfriend for weeks and yet expected the older woman to do all the work. Kim had even expected Shego to turn up to her birthday party in a few days without the slightest indication from the teen she would be welcome. That was so not right. That wasn't how a hero acted. She had been self centered and selfish. Oh, this was so the drama!

The teen realized she didn't know how to even begin to repair things. Approaching Shego after all this time was going to be awkward but if she didn't do it, the repercussions were enormous. "I think it's about time I had that chat with mom."

_**A/N:** This chapter is as introspective and navel gazing as the story will get. Next, Shego gets a helping hand or two._

_Also, I'm sorry about the delay in updating. I've had most of this chapter written for weeks but real life has kept me busy._


	4. Whoever

**Words Hurt, Shego**

_This story is not for profit. It's based on a true argument. The characters and the details have been changed to make it a far more interesting tale. This is a very, very belated birthday ditty for my friend, BD._

**4. Whoever**

He stood quietly outside the kitchen waiting to be invited him in. Raised voices, one angry and forceful, the other wimpy and beseeching, came through door. It was obviously not going well. He wasn't exactly sure why he was here but he was assured his presence was imperative. The wimpy and beseeching voice called out, "You can come in now. She is as ready as she'll ever be.

"Aaaaahhh... Shego, there is no need to be like that. I'm only trying to help."

"Drakken, I can't see any help from where I'm standing."

"Quickly man, she's going to hurt me!" begged Drakken from the other side of the timber paneling.

He pushed the door open and entered the large room. Dr Drakken was cowering behind a table. Shego was standing, at the opposite end, her expression was menacing, her fingers flaming. When the green woman saw him, she raised her hands, plasma ready to be discharged. Her green face was furrowed, and her emerald eyes were like intense lasers. She was furious.

"What's he doing here?" Shego demanded.

Ron Stoppable stood next to Drakken, unsure what to say. He had no idea why he was here. He raised his hands, his palms facing the irate woman. "Hey, hey, hey, don't get mad at me, I'm just as clueless as what you are."

"You got that right, Buffoon."

"Ah Shego, there's no call for that. All I know is that Dr D called me saying he needed my help. Something about being out of his depth," said Ron gesturing to the blue man still cowering behind the table.

Shego snarled. "Dr D is always out of his depth. This is the first time he's admitted it. Its a pity that he didn't realize it while his was on GJ's most wanted list."

"There's no need to be so cruel, Shego. I was trying to take care of my evil family. You're upset and I think we can help," said Drakken, his head popping up above the table line.

Shego's plasma ceased suddenly but her tense body language told Ron that the green woman was still not comfortable with the current situation. Her eyes suspiciously assessed the two men before her. She appeared to be a little confused. "When did the two of you become so chummy?"

KPKPKPKP

Ron came through the entry to his hotel room, shutting the door with his hip as he balanced two bags of Bueno Nacho in one hand and holding a drinks tray with the other. He had just returned from another stuffy function with the mayor and his daughter, Charlotte, and he was starving. He needed comfort food. The blond hero hoped that Charlotte was not becoming too attached. He had just broken up with Kim and was in the process of mending their friendship. He was not ready for another girlfriend.

"Dr D, I'm back and brought you some dinner," Ron called out.

Drakken looked up from the small bench that had previously housed the tea and coffee making facilities provided by the hotel. He was working on his latest invention, the Electromagic Goo Glass, a small thermos like device that used a cell phone to heat food and drink for the on the go traveler. Despite spending so much time on the run from one exploding lair to another, Drakken liked some of the comforts of home and was looking to make the perfect hot chocolate.

"Ah Ronald, just in time. I am a little peckish."

There was a time where Ron would not come in with such a warm greeting. Nor would he have considered bringing Drakken food. The blond teen spent a long time walking on eggshells around the older man. Nothing he did could placate him. They would often end up disagreeing or slapping one another to settle an argument. Ron tried hard not to use his monkey magic skills against the blue man in case he hurt him. It didn't stop Drakken getting in a few cheap shots. The blond could not remember Drakken being able to slap so hard. Most of the disagreements ended with either Kim or Shego, or sometimes both women, barging into Drakken and Ron's hotel room to break them up.

Living with Drakken became easier for Ron when he realized that he would have to make a few concessions. It was not like the older man was going to change. Ron went into sidekick mode and stroked the former villain's ego. He tried to include the scientist into his daily routine and it worked surprisingly well, as did listening to Drakken. Sure, he had a tendency to ramble but the blue man knew a lot. Drakken also seemed grateful that he had an audience. The older man surprised him in return by referring to Ron by his name.

Once he softened his stance to Drakken, Ron realized that his roommate did not have any sense of time. The blue scientist slept when he was tired, ate when he was hungry, had an aversion to hard manual labor and called his mother for absolutely everything no matter what the hour. The young hero was surprised that the older man ever left the nest. He often wondered what the impetus was that drove Drew Lipsky from his beloved mother. Ron didn't have the courage to ask Drakken directly.

"How is the mini microwave going, Dr D?"

"Its not a microwave, Ronald, its the EGG, my greatest invention ever. Thanks to Global Justice, I might not ever rule the world but that won't stop me from infiltrating every household that owns a cell phone."

"It's a pity you haven't come up with an app for those cell phones. You could infiltrate even further. Look at Angry Birds."

Drakken gave Ron a confused look. The glazed black eyes had no idea what the younger man was saying. "Don't worry about. We'll talk about it a bit more once you finish the EGG," the teen explained.

"We should eat while our food is hot, Dr D." Drakken made a little room on the bench to accommodate their late night snack.

In the beginning, Drakken was not keen on the fast food that Ron was addicted to. He claimed the smell was an offense to his senses. It was only when Ron voiced that he could not believe Drakken had been the CEO of his beloved Bueno Nacho and had not sampled the food, that the former villain reluctantly tried the messy cheese laden ground beef meal. Ron had found a nacho buddy in his roommate.

The bond strengthened when Drakken mentioned that he had also been the CEO of Hank's Gourmet Cupcakes. Ron considered Drakken a fellow foodie.

"So Ronald, out late again with Charlotte?"

"Yes, but I think I need to tell her that I don't want to get into anything serious. It's too soon you know."

"Indeed."

"I don't want to hurt her feelings."

"Well Ronald, I suggest you be honest with the young lady, sooner, rather than later."

"Any suggestions to how I do that?"

"No, unfortunately, this has never been my forte," said Drakken forthrightly.

"Oh." Ron didn't know how to respond to that, so he decided to change the subject.

"How was your day, Dr D?"

"Much the same as yesterday. I really don't like being without my lab. It's very unsettling."

"Have you seen much of the girls? I feel as if I keep missing them. Or they're avoiding me. Kim in particular."

"I can see why they would be," said Drakken with a mouth full of nacho. Cheesy strands were caught around his scar and facial hair.

"What do you mean? I was just joking. Kim and I have been best friends forever. It's not like her to be avoiding me."

Drakken smiled and looked quite demented, especially with ground beef smeared over his front teeth. "I don't think Miss Possible is avoiding you because of Charlotte. I think Miss Possible is avoiding you because she has a secret she's keeping from you that I don't think she's ready to reveal."

"Kim can't keep a secret," Ron said candidly.

"I assure you Ronald, that Miss Possible has one."

"No offense Dr D, but you're not exactly Mr Observant."

Drakken smiled again. It was most disconcerting. "Oh, on the contrary, Ronald. I see things all the time. For instance, this morning I needed a jar of pickles opened, so I went to find Shego to help me. Imagine my surprise when I found Shego and Miss Possible in bed together. Naked as the day they were born."

The blue man's answer was deadpan and his timing perfect. Ron was not expecting that revelation. He started choking on his food. Drakken started slapping him on the back. Again with the hard slapping, thought Ron. Has he been working out?

KPKPKPKP

Shego looked at the two faces before her, one fearful and blue, and the other friendly and looking to please. "When did the two of you become so chummy?"

"Well, we have a common goal here, Shego," said Drakken.

Shego studied the blue man intently. Something told her he wasn't being completely honest with her.

"And what's that, Drewbie?" Shego said growling at her employer. She was beginning to feel like the situation was getting out of hand, and that didn't not sit well with her.

Drakken gained some backbone and slowly moved closer to the irate green woman. "Shego, you're not happy and you're making everyone at the lair jumpy. That makes for an uncomfortable work environment."

The scientist gestured towards the blond man. "Ron informs me that Miss Possible is equally unhappy. She refuses to talk to anyone and according to her mother is not leaving her room and has been rather, mopey."

Shego's heart sank at the news that her Kimmie was miserable. That was never her intention. She hated it whenever she hurt her Princess.

While Shego thought about her lover, Ron took the opportunity to jump in. "Shego, Kim adores you. A lot. You can fix this."

"Why do you assume that this is all my fault?" Shego asked indignantly.

"Because Kim isn't knocking down your door," replied Ron simply. He smiled sheepishly before proceeding, "Besides Dr D told me you were being your usual charming self at the time of your argument."

"Oh, he did, did he?" Shego was now getting really annoyed. If the two men weren't so right, she would have fried the pair by now. "Whatever!" the green woman said dismissively.

"There she goes again," said Drakken.

"I can see what you mean. It is rather annoying," the blond concurred.

"Would the two of you kindly remember I'm standing right here!" Shego said outraged by their behavior.

"Sorry Shego," said Ron calmly. "We just want to help."

"Mmmm... This is just too weird. I can't get my head around the fact you two are trying to help." In fact, Shego could feel a rotten headache coming on.

"Okay, lets start with something simple. What did you say to make Kim leave?" asked Ron.

Shego looked at the young hero. She didn't want to get into the nitty gritty of her relationship with Kim. It was none of his business. Or Drakken's.

"Come on Shego, just give us something to go on," the blond said trying to coax the older woman.

"I may not have been as supportive as I should have," admitted Shego finally.

"How do you figure?"

"Let's just say, that even though Kimmie was on holidays she was still being Kimmie."

"You mean a hero?"

"Yeah. I just couldn't get her to let her hair down. Instead of relaxing at the beach with me, she spent three days straight running after idiots so they could have the best vacation."

"Shego, you sound like you were jealous," piped in Drakken.

The green woman gritted her teeth before replying, "Yeah, I guess I was. Wouldn't you be? I mean, I'm her girlfriend but you wouldn't have known that from the way Princess was carrying on." She knew she was being defensive but Shego was on new ground here.

"No, no, no, this is good," the blond hero said excitedly. "What else, Shego? Did you tell Kim that the missions were upsetting you?"

"No. No matter how I played it my head, it just sounded really stupid." Even talking about it now, it still sounded stupid. "I knew what I was getting into with Kimmie. I can't complain now."

"Go on," urged Ron.

"I guess the final straw was the father of the kid she saved. The dumb ass kid was trying to steal a penguin but got held up in the seal enclosure at the marine park. The seals proved smarter than the kid. They had him pinned down and were slapping the kid in the face with their flippers while they ate the fish he had brought in with him. From what I could see, he deserved the face full of disgusting seal breath."

"Shego, you're rambling," said Drakken.

The green woman threw her employer a sharp look. Like he could talk. For years she had to put up with his maniacal tirades.

"Anyway, Kimmie saved the kid. The penguins were fine, the seals calmed down and the keepers grateful. As was his old man, who was, as it turns out the owner of the local theatre. He wanted Kimmie to be to be the guest of honor at the special night he was holding. Princess wanted to go, I was not so keen."

"But why Shego? Musical theatre is so much fun especially when you have good seats," said Drakken enthusiastically. Shego once again thought about Drakken's romantic preferences. Most of the time she thought the man was asexual but at times like this, and from his performances at Friday night karaoke, the green woman wondered whether the older man was in the closet.

"This wasn't musical theatre."

"What was it then?"

Shego was not keen on revealing the details of the embarrassing invitation and drew the moment out as long as she could. "It was a sing-a-long and Kim was asked to be the guest of honor. As her girlfriend she expected me to dress up with her and stand at the front to help lead the audience."

"Which sing-a-long?"

The former villainess mumbled her response, "Maria, what can't you face?"

Drakken looked at his sidekick blankly. Ron on the other hand understood her reference and was howling with laughter, his body doubled over, his hands clutching his stomach. Every time he took a breath, it sounded like he was hyperventilating. Tears were falling down his pink face.

"Shego, I don't understand. What kind of sing-a-long was it?" pleaded Drakken. When there was no response he demanded an answer with a shrill, "Shego, what kind of musical was it?"

Before Drakken could get an answer, the door to the kitchen opened.

"Are you okay, Boss, I thought I could hear some ruckus coming from..." The henchman stopped in his tracks when he spied Shego. "Oh it's you. Mmmm... Hello, Shego."

"Hi, Bob." Shego suddenly became self-conscious and that was rare for her. The green woman took the initiative, "Ah Bob, I'm really sorry that I kicked you in the ribs, and that I didn't go to Becker's birthday."

Bob, studied his co-worker for a few moments. The green woman thought that maybe he was gauging her sincerity. Shego knew she had done wrong by Bob and needed to say something to the henchman. "Are you feeling any better?"

"Yeah, Boss, I'm good to go. Thanks for asking." Bob gave Shego a crooked smile.

That smile and the 'Boss' reference told the former villainess she was forgiven. "Once I get this sorted out, you, me and the boys should go out for a drink. You know, just to clear the air."

Bob nodded in agreement. "So, what's going on? Why is Stoppable here with his pants on and why is he crying?"

Drakken jumped in and clarified the situation for the henchman. "Well, Shego was in the process of revealing the reason for her lover's quarrel with Miss Possible."

Bob's face became lopsided as he grinned. It was quite a goofy smile that only a mother could love. "Oh, goody, gossip! Me and boys were wondering why Shego had her panties in a twist. We knew it had something to do with Possible."

Shego slapped her palm against her face. "I swear I work with a bunch of girls." The green woman had never known a group of men who preferred to sit around and gossip like Drakken and the henchmen. It was no wonder that Drakken's plans for world domination never came to fruition.

"Ah Shego, you still haven't explained what 'Maria what can't you face?' means and why you didn't want to participate in the sing-a-long."

Damn it, thought Shego, trust Drakken not to be able to let the matter go.

Bob, unlike Drakken knew the reference and started laughing.

"Why am I always the last to know?" whined Drakken.

Shego felt like throttling the older man. His constant complaining was getting on her nerves. "Dr D, Stoppable and Bob can explain it to you some other time."

"Soooo, Shego..." said Ron with an wicked expression. "You were telling us about your argument. What happened after you refused to dress up for KP?"

Shego stared at the blond. Might as well get it over and done with. She had revealed the worst part already. The green woman inhaled deeply before she tried to calmly reply, "I told Kimmie it wasn't my thing. She got a little upset and started doing that pout thing that annoys me so much. Actually I hate that pout. Every time she uses it, I feel like Kimmie is trying to manipulate me. I hate being manipulated. Does she listen? Ah no! She kept doing it. I got tired of it and wanted it to stop. She didn't. That's when I finished our discussion with 'whatever'. That's it. The whole thing has been blown out of proportion."

Shego growled with frustration, "Aaaaaahhh!" She wanted to explode. Kimmie had made her soft. "It was so much easier when I was a villain. There were no explanations. I just took what I wanted."

Ron chuckled. "No doubt Kim and Mrs Dr P would have something to say about that." The green woman glared at him.

"So, how are you planning to fix it?" asked the blond. "I think you need to do it soon."

Shego ran her fingers through her raven locks. "Yeah I know." She sighed. "I've tried but I don't know how to fix it. If I did, I wouldn't be standing here asking Larry, Curly and Moe for love advice.

"In the past few weeks, I have spent a small fortune on Kimmie. I've sent her flowers, posh chocolate and friggin teddy bears. And nada! Not a word. She won't return my calls, emails, texts, and Nerdlinger is one step away from being fried. The little twerp won't patch me through.

"Have you gone to see her?" asked Ron.

"No."

"Well there's your problem, Shego," said Drakken.

"Oh, that's rich. This from a man from hides and lies to his mother," snapped Shego.

"There's no need to bring my mother into this," Drakken said huffily. "What I meant is, you're a thief, you just take what you want. Nothing has stopped you before. What are you going to do to get her back, Shego?"

Drakken was right. What was the world coming to, thought the raven-haired beauty.

"Boss, I don't have the best track record with women but even I know you need to do something great. Possible is not is your average dame, you have to go all out with this one."

"Its Kim's birthday in a few days," said Ron. "I think that's a great opportunity for you to show her how much she means to you."

"I already got something special for Princess' birthday," admitted the green woman.

Ron looked surprised at Shego's admission. "Really? What? Jewelry?"

"No."

"Champagne and caviar?"

"Ewww... no! Kim has a bland palette and she's too young and too much of a hero to drink. You should know that Stoppable."

"A shower of rose petals then?"

"A new car?"

"A marriage proposal?"

"No, no and definitely no. She's too young. She's still technically a teenager. I want her to finish college and her GJ training first."

"Oh, so you have thought about it?" teased Ron.

Shego could feel her face burning up. It didn't happen often but when it did, it caused a stir, like it did now. The green woman tried to be as cool as she could but lost it as the three men before her all leaned in to take a closer look. She swatted them all away.

"Shego, are you blushing?"

She did not say anything. The three continued to stare. "What?" the blushing woman demanded.

"Nothing," said Bob throwing up hands in a submissive gesture.

"Shego, why didn't you ever tell Kim how you felt? She would be over the moon to know that you were that serious about her."

"Why didn't you ever tell her you wanted to break up with her?" Shego retorted.

"Touché," said Ron with a chuckle. "So, what did you get Kim?"

"You're not going to let this go, are you?" asked an exasperated Shego.

"Nope, so whatever it is you have, you need to show us," said Ron good-naturedly.

Shego did not want to share Princess' gift with the boys. It was personal, something between her and Kimmie. Something that only the younger woman would understand. Shego did not want to share the softer side of her personality with outsiders. The green woman also knew that Drakken could throw the mother of all tantrums if she refused. He considered her family and got very offended whenever she did not return the compliment.

The former villainess took a long breath before reluctantly leaving the kitchen. She returned minutes later with a large nondescript paper bag. Shego was dreading revealing the contents and prolonged the moment as long as she could. Her companions looked on excitedly.

"Come on Boss, what's in the bag?"

A long slender green arm reached into the bag and grasped its contents. A white fury object emerged slowly from its confinement.

As if synchronized, the three men clutched their sides and started laughing hysterically, pointing at the object before them.

"What the hell is so funny?" demanded Shego. She was really starting to get angry. She was expecting a reaction but this not this. Her companions were about to experience a plasma enema. She refused to be the butt of anyone's joke, no pun intended.

"What the hell is so funny?" she repeated.

"What is that?"

"Its a unicorn plush toy," said Shego stating the obvious. Even with the large rainbow colored spiral projecting from the front, the toy could be nothing else.

The loud laughter increased in volume. Drakken was pounding his tiny fist against the table. Ron fell to the floor, his body in convulsions. Bob was laughing so hard that he was hopping from foot to foot. The henchman looked like he was one step away from running to the bathroom. Good luck in getting out of the unitard in time, thought Shego. It served him right.

"Well you geniuses, that is what she wanted!" Pardon be damned, the possibility of the three men ending up as a pile of ashes was increasing by the second.

"A unicorn? Kim?" A muffled voice asked from the floor.

"Yes, an unicorn, Stoppable. Princess and I were out shopping one day and we passed a toy store. Kimmie mentioned she had been looking for one for a while now." There was look of surprise from the floor. "Yeah, it surprised me too."

"Its ugly," said Bob, finally looking like he didn't need to make an urgent bathroom break.

"Yes, it's ugly but do you know how hard one of these is to find? It took forever. I looked everywhere, and I mean everywhere. I trawled ePay worldwide. Nothing. Not a single friggin unicorn. This one is especially imported from the Philippines, after a tip in an online forum. It cost me a freaking small fortune."

Ron stood up. His eyes were still red and watery. "What about Pandaroo? Won't he get jealous?"

"I doubt Princess will ever let anything get in the way of her and that tatty rat. Kimmie isn't going to sleep with it."

"Are you sure, Boss? Look at that horn."

The green woman grabbed Bob by the unitard. "Unless you want another kick, you better take that back."

"Sorry Boss." The green woman released the henchman.

"It is rather phallic, Shego," piped in Drakken.

"Despite what Freud and Jung would say about it, I will have you know that unicorns are all about innocence and purity. Just like Princess," said Shego with a bit of a flush.

"Well, not after you've had a go at her," the blond said cheekily. He was slapped for his efforts.

"Stoppable!"

"I'm just saying. It sounds like Shego here has earned her toaster."

The former villainess, let the comment slide. She was now focused on how she could get the troublesome plush toy to Kimmie. "So what now?"

Ron turned to the blue man and asked, "What's Shego's singing voice like?"

"Its not bad. On the few occasions she has accompanied me to karaoke, the crowd gets behind her. I don't know why she doesn't do it more often."

"Because its tortuous," quipped Shego.

"Well, that may be the case but I have a plan and we'll need those vocal chords in tip top shape," the hero replied with a gleam.

Shego became fearful. Without knowing the details, a Stoppable devised plan involving her singing was not a good start. Did she have a choice? Yes, she did. She could always say no but being ignored by Kimmie all this time was killing her.

Shego had a bad feeling about what was to come. "If this doesn't work, Ron, I will slow roast you over a bed of monkeys," she threatened.

Ron was not fazed by the intimidation. "Don't worry, it'll work out. We will have help. All you have to do is trust me and do what I say. No arguments. Do you agree?"

Shego was not convinced by the hero's reassurances but she agreed nonetheless. She did need the help and no one knew Kimmie like her best friend.

_**A/N**: I'm pretty sure some of you can guess what will happen next._

_The Larry, Curly and Moe reference was inserted after seeing a trailer for The Three Stooges movie. Oh dear, I wish they'd leave the classics alone._

_Also, I'd like to wish my friend and fellow Kigo lover, Kiwi, a wonderful and happy 18th birthday._


	5. Together

**Words Hurt, Shego**

_This story is not for profit. It's based on a true argument. The characters and the details have been changed to make it a far more interesting tale. This is a very, very belated birthday ditty for my friend, BD._

_It has come to my attention that the musical movie reference in the previous chapter was lost on a few readers. I was actually really surprised. I thought for sure everyone knew it. I'm not certain if it's a generational thing or a cultural one. Australians love this movie. I hope you can guess the movie before I reveal it at the end of my story._

_This was supposed to be the final chapter but once I started writing, I realized that I had to break it up. Lets hope Shego's vocal chords can survive until the finale._

**5. Together**

Kim slowly placed the phone down into its cradle. The despondent look in her daughter's green eyes caught the attention of Ann Possible. The younger redhead looked like she was about to cry. Ann Possible's maternal side kicked in instantly. She placed a caring hand on her daughter's shoulder.

"What's wrong, Kimmie?"

Kim did not answer right away. Instead she bit her lip, almost like she was thinking on how to respond. "That was Ron. He called to say that he would be late."

"Did he say why?"

"No. All he said was that there was a sitch that he needed to deal with first. It could take him a few minutes or at worst a few hours."

"That's not like Ron."

"I know, Mom. Ron is never mysterious."

"Maybe he's getting you something special for your birthday and there have been complications."

"I don't think so. This was different, Mom. He was in serious Ron mode. Besides he told me last night that he had my present sorted."

"Oh Kimmie, try not to think too much into it. You know Ron. He would be here if he could. Let's hope whatever the sitch, he can sort it out as quickly as possible."

"I guess." Kim's tone did not reassure her mother. Ann knew there was something else at play here.

"Kim, let's go into the kitchen. I think it's about time we had that chat you wanted, girl to girl."

"Do we have the time? People will be arriving soon." Ann could see her daughter was backpedaling.

"Kimmie, everything is prepared. We have a bit of time before your father and your brothers get back from the store. I will make us a nice cup of tea and you can tell me what's really bothering you. You and I both know its it's well overdue."

The matriarch of the Possible household took her daughter's arm and gently tugged. The younger Possible reluctantly followed her mother.

KPKPKPKP

"So Kimmie, what is bothering you, really? I know it's not Ron arriving late."

Kim did not answer. She was starring at her cup of herbal tea trying to find a way to best explain to her mother what had been bugging her, well, who.

Ann continued trying to coax her daughter to open up. "Honey, it's your birthday party, a time for celebration and not a long face. You have been rather down for weeks now. You know I don't like to interfere in your life, Kimmie. You're an adult now, and your father and I trust you to make your own decisions. We have for a while now." Ann ran her finger over the rim of the china cup. "I was kind of hoping you would come to me earlier but..." Ann's voice trailed off wistfully.

"I'm sorry, Mom, I didn't mean to shut you out. I didn't think I would end up feeling like this, or for so long. I have been meaning to talk to you but you have been working nights and it didn't feel right to spring this on you when you got home after doing a double shift." This wasn't quite true, but Kim didn't want to reveal to her mom that for most of it, she hadn't been ready to open up.

"Oh Kimmie, you know if you ever needed to talk me I would find the time. You'll always be my Kimmie-cub."

Kim blushed at the mention of her parents' childhood nickname for her. At least it wasn't Bubble-butt.

"Now, back your problem. I know it's not Ron being late to your party. Is it to do with your holiday with Shego? Your father and I have noticed you came home early. You've been rather down since then, and Shego hasn't been a round. And then there are the daily deliveries that any hospital store would be envious of. From that, I can only deduce that she has done something to upset you and is trying very hard to make it up to you."

Kim could feel her face and neck flush at the mention of the green woman. The younger redhead bit her lip and considered how to proceed. Oh what the heck, why not just get it out, thought the hero? Besides, she couldn't lie to save her life. "Oh Mom, she's impossible. How could I have fallen in love with such an insensitive cow?"

A red eyebrow raised in response. Ann seemed surprised by her daughter's choice of words. "Did you have a fight with Shego? Honey, I'm not going to push but you can't linger on this anymore. It's not like you. Your father and I didn't raise you to avoid your issues. If you aren't happy in your relationship, you need to communicate that to Shego."

"I guess." Kim knew that initial discussion with her lover would beyond awkward. She had picked up the phone to call Drakken's lair the previous evening but had chickened out before the call connected. Even if she had gotten through, she had no idea what she would have said to her girlfriend.

"So what happened?"

"She's so infuriating. She does not support me in the slightest. We have known each other for years. She knows that I'm a hero and yet makes fun of me for wanting to do good in the world. I like helping people, Mom. That's never going to change. I shouldn't have to change."

Kim could feel herself becoming worked up. She took in another breath before she continued. "I turned off my Kimmunicator for her. I didn't take on any missions because we were on holidays together. Mom, do you know how big it was for me to do that? I wanted to show her how much she means to me."

"Kimmie, what happened? You keep skirting around the issue."

"I'm sorry, Mom. I just hope you don't get too mad at Shego."

"How about this Kimmie? Why don't you pretend you're my patient and just give me the facts and let me come up with a diagnosis?"

The older woman's blue eyes had a twinkle in them and this encouraged the hero to begin. "Oh, the first week was amazing. Shego was so attentive. We just lazed around the pool or went to the beach. Actually, I had never seen her so relaxed. Once a day we would have a massage, which was totally divine. I highly recommend it. I can totally see why Shego is into them.

"And then on the Sunday evening, her mood changed. She became short tempered and was distant. When I asked her what was wrong, she wouldn't tell me. I knew Shego was mad when she would come back from her massage just as wound up as what she would have whenever she's been around Hego.

"Kimmie, do you know what set off her mood?" Ann asked gently.

The redhead looked up at the ceiling, her mind searching for an answer. "No, I've been thinking about it and there was nothing out of the ordinary that happened."

"What had you been doing before that?"

"I didn't do anything different to what I normally do. I was just helping a few people in need. It was no big," said Kim casually.

"By a few people you mean…..?" asked Ann trying to prompt her daughter for more details.

"Oh, mmm... let me think... On the Friday the crèche at the hotel was short staffed so I volunteered to help out. Don't worry Mom, there was no soccer coaching involved. On the Saturday, I helped rescue a boatload of whale watchers and on the Sunday the owner of the theatre thanked me for helping save his son from some rogue seals."

"I see," said Ann. "And what happened next?"

"The theatre owner asked me if I wanted to be the guest of honor at the sing-a-long movie night he was holding. It would have been so much fun, Mom, getting dressed up and leading the audience. It would have been just like cheerleading without the football team taking all the glory.

"Except Shego turned out to be Bonnie and ruined the moment. She refused outright to do it. The more I tried to convince her, the more adamant she was that she was not dressing up."

"Not that I'm encouraging you, but did you try the puppy dog pout? That always works on your father," said the older woman. Kim could tell her mother was joking, trying to lighten up the mood.

"I so did, Mom, and the more I did it, the worse the situation got. I have never had that reaction from anyone before. She was getting all mad, and that in turn made me so mad. Then Shego was all 'whatever, Kimmie'. I was speechless, Mom. It was so final and dismissive. I didn't deserve be treated like that.

"That's when I decided to walk away from Shego and came home. I didn't see any point in staying any longer. I can't be with someone who doesn't respect and appreciate me." The redhead could feel herself getting upset talking about it. The few weeks away from her girlfriend did not lessen the pain.

"Kim, I hear what you're saying but have you considered that even though you say you had your Kimmunicator off, you never stopped being a hero?"

"Mom, I can't believe you're taking Shego's side," said the teen with disbelief. She totally did not expect her mother to do that.

"Honey, this isn't about taking sides. I'm not excusing Shego. I'm simply pointing out that perhaps you need to put yourself in her shoes. You were supposed to be on vacation but you still managed to be in hero mode, even without your Kimmunicator being turned on."

The young redhead could not believe she was defending her actions to her mother of all people, "But that's what a hero does, we help those in need. I can't change being the person I am."

"No one is asking you to, Kimmie," Ann said, gently reaching out and patting her daughter's hand.

"I don't understand, Mom. It sounds like you are trying to get me to change."

"Sometimes I think you take the role too seriously. You went on missions all the way through school, and after the Lowardian disaster, your mission was to help rebuild half the state. That's very admirable, Kimmie, but what about rebuilding yourself? From what I could see you haven't taken a break. You have gone from one project to another before deciding to go to college. When was the last time you went on a vacation before this?

"All I'm saying is that it doesn't hurt to step back every now and again. You don't have to save the world all the time. People understand that you need to take time out for yourself. It doesn't make you a bad person if you do."

Ann Possible's blue eyes studied her daughter intently. Kim felt like the elder redhead was seeing right through her. "The other thing that concerns me is that you don't take the time to deal with your feelings. You went from Eric, straight into in a relationship with Ron. You broke up with Ron before he could break up with you and then went into a relationship with Shego. You haven't taken any time to assess your thoughts and actions. Its okay to take time out on your own while you process everything."

"..." Kim did not know how to respond and simply stared at her mother.

"From what you've told me about your vacation, it sounds like you have continued your pattern of running away from your feelings."

"But Mom, Shego was acting like a right royal cow!"

The elder Possible raised an eyebrow. "Was she, Kimmie? Maybe she wanted her girlfriend to show her some affection on her romantic holiday. Maybe she resented all the attention you were giving strangers."

"She could have said something!" Kim said with annoyance. The former villainess was often not short of words.

"Honey, when have you known Shego to reveal something that wasn't dragged out of her?"

While Kim pondered the question, her mother continued, "Shego, isn't someone who is comfortable talking about her feelings. Remember when she used to come over for dinner and your brothers would annoy her about helping them with their experiments? Or your father would threaten her with the rockets into deep space? I could tell she was not comfortable but she came over because you asked her to and she silently put up with it."

"Oh no, that's where you're wrong, Mom. The Tweebs were often one step away from being blasted. Once we left the house, I heard all about it from Shego." From the moment they stepped into Kim's car, boy did she hear about the older woman's annoyance. The green woman would vocalize every expletive she could think of during the short drive to the lair.

"Okay, bad example. Remember the time when we found out about your relationship?"

KPKPKPKP

Ann Possible had just finished making breakfast for her family. Her eldest child was absent from the breakfast nook. The young hero was obviously in need of a sleep-in after a long night mission, and as it was a weekend, the older redhead refrained from disturbing her daughter.

The good doctor had set aside a plate for Kim before placing the hearty meal in front of the hungry Possible males. There was a lull in conversation as her husband and sons spent no time in greedily stacking their plates with the hot food. She was about to sit down and join her family when the back door was flung open. Standing before them was Kim's former arch nemesis. She just stared at the astonished Possible clan, a dark and stormy expression on her attractive features.

The green woman was not how Ann remembered. Gone was the slick green and black form-fitting suit that was Shego's trademark, or the immaculate suits of Miss Go. Standing before them was a disheveled former villainess. She was dressed in ripped and worn jeans, a Go-Go-U novelty tee shirt that had seen far better days and sneakers with holes over both toes big enough to see the lime green socks beneath. Her raven locks were pulled back haphazardly into a roll held in place by two chopsticks. The pale face was washed out, far more than what Ann remembered. There was something missing that the redhead could not quite put her finger on.

"Is Princess here?" the green woman demanded of the astonished family.

"Excuse me young lady, but you can't just barge in here and start making demands," said James Possible rising to confront the intruder. "If you think you can hurt my daughter and get away with it... " The scientist's voice trailed off as Shego ignored the Possible patriarch and proceeded to make her way through the house in the direction of Kim's room. Ann, James and the twins abandoned their meal and quickly followed.

Ann tried to reason with the former thief, "Shego, what are you doing here? You're not going to hurt Kimmie are you? We were under the impression that you had been pardoned and were working for Global Justice. Wouldn't this constitute a breach of your pardon?"

The green woman said nothing and continued to ignore the occupants of the house.

Ann was now becoming annoyed with the intruder's insolent behavior. "Shego!"

The green woman stopped briefly and turned to face the brain surgeon exasperated, "What?"

"Why are you here?" asked Ann sternly.

"I need to speak to Princess." Shego continued walking towards the Possible's sleeping quarters.

When the green woman reached the stairs leading to Kim's loft bedroom, she did not attempt to climb up. Instead she called out, "Kimmie, are you there?" There was no immediate response.

"Go away. I have nothing to say to you," said a muffled voice eventually from inside the loft. So much for sleeping off a long mission, thought Ann.

"Well, I have something to say to you," said Shego looking up at the opening in the ceiling.

"You made it perfectly clear where you stood last night." Ann could hear the anger in her daughter's voice but there was something else she couldn't quite place.

"Princess, you caught me by surprise is all. I didn't know how to react or what to say. It was a being in the headlights kind of moment. My brain wasn't working quite the way it should have. This is all new to me."

"Well, how do you think I feel? Its all new to me too!"

Ann's blue eyes widened with surprise. It dawn on her what it was that was bothering her about the interaction between her daughter and her former arch nemesis. From her experience, this wasn't how Kimmie and Shego interacted. This was no banter between rivals. This was something far more intimate.

"Kimmie, come on, don't make this any more difficult than it needs to be," pleaded Shego.

"Well excuse me for making your life difficult. I was the one who was cut down mid sentence. I was just being honest and you shut me out."

Ann could tell from the change in the tone of her daughter's voice that she was now getting quite emotional. From the look on Shego's face, it was obvious the green woman knew it too.

"Kimmie, I don't want to have this conversation with you in front of your family. Can I please come up so we can talk about it in private?"

"No!" was the emphatic response. "We tried that remember?"

"Shego, might I remind you, you're the one who pushed your way into our house and demanded to speak to Kim," said James. Like Ann, he didn't like it when his daughter was upset for any reason. He was doing his best to protect his little girl from the perceived threat. "Whatever, you have to say to Kimmie-cub, you have to say in front of her family."

Shego averted her attention from the loft and looked the scientist directly in the eye. Other than the narrowing of her emerald eyes, her pale face was devoid of emotion.

"Well? What do you have to say for yourself, young lady?" demanded James.

The former thief actually growled in response. The impasse was broken when Tim Possible spoke for the first time. "Ah, Kim?"

"Yes?"

"Scary lady isn't wearing any make-up."

"Really?" the voice from above said with interest.

"Yeah," agreed his twin.

Shego, like Ann and James appeared to be confused by the non sequitur. The green woman started to blush as if for the first time became aware of her scruffy appearance and absence of her trademark make-up. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"It means that you are serious about being here because you would never dare go out unless you were looking nothing less than immaculate," said Kim from the top of the loft stairs. Her olive eyes studied Shego, taking in her unkempt appearance before adding, "Maybe I will listen to what you have to say now."

Shego's blush deepened. She looked up and addressed the hero, "Kimmie, I'm sorry about last night. I do love you."

"I know you do. Now. I love you too. If you'd like, you can come up now." Shego did not wait to be asked again and started to climb the stairs.

"Hicka-bicka-boo!" said Tim, high fiving his twin.

"Hoo-sha!" said Jim with just as much enthusiasm.

Ann had not seen this sitch coming but she reacted better than her husband who continued to gawk at the loft unable to speak. She shepherded James and the twins to the kitchen. "Let's give the girls some privacy. Hopefully our food won't be too cold."

KPKPKPKP

The memory of that day always brought a smile to Kim's face. Today was no different. Her girlfriend had obviously thought that she worth the effort, enough to validate the relationship so Kim's family could accept it.

"I guess that day was a shock for you and Dad."

"Yes it was. We hadn't seen you in months and had no idea what was going on with you. You gave nothing away when you came back which is a surprise considering your inability to lie. It didn't occur to us that you were sneaking out to see Shego each night."

Kim hated it when she wasn't open with her parents. In the beginning of her relationship it was necessary but she wasn't happy with the circumstances. "I'm sorry, Mom, I didn't know how you and Dad would accept it, especially knowing who Shego was. I'm so glad you both have accepted her so quickly."

"I wouldn't say that. It took me months and your father even longer. I'm still not convinced he has accepted it."

"Oh," said Kim feeling a little deflated at the revelation.

Ann noticed her daughter's features and changed tact. "Kimmie, I would appreciate it if you could explain something to me. When Shego was over that morning, how is it you understood what the twins meant? It was such a random comment but it totally changed your attitude."

"Oh, that's easy. The Tweebs found out about Shego not long before you did. You know how they have beefed up the security around the house? Well the night you and Dad went to the fund raising dinner at the Middleton Space Center, Shego dropped by incognito and she unknowingly triggered the alarm."

Ann Possible went into mom mode, "Kim! I hope you and Shego were not carrying on under our roof! We didn't raise you to behave that way."

"No, no, no, Mom. It was nothing like that." The teen could feel her cheeks redden. "I left Pandaroo at the lair. I couldn't go over to collect him as I was babysitting so I called Shego. She knew I couldn't sleep without him, so she brought him back. She wasn't dressed to go out and was just supposed to stay a few minutes, I swear. The Tweebs caught us in the middle of our good night kiss and then threatened to expose us."

"I see," said Ann. Her frown told Kim that she really didn't.

"Shego told the twins that if even one picture of her, especially one without makeup, was posted online then there would be trouble. She said she knew where they lived," said Kim with a chuckle.

"Oh, dear." Ann seemed troubled by this notion.

"She didn't mean it. She has twin brothers and is the same with them. The Wegos totally love her and I suspect the Tweebs might too. She's all gruff on the outside but a sweetie on the inside," said Kim hoping her mother would understand.

Ann seemed to consider what her daughter had just disclosed. "Kim, this brings me back to my original point. Shego is a private person. She doesn't willingly show her feelings. You know this but for some reason you haven't applied it in this instance. Maybe she didn't handle the vacation situation very well, but quite frankly neither did you."

"But, Mom..." Kim started to disagree but realized she had nothing to counter her mother's argument.

Ann waved her hand, indicating she wanted to continue. "Honey, Shego loves you and is willing to make comprises. Maybe you should at least meet her halfway."

"Mom, what if I don't have the chance?" Kim was still not confident reconciliation with Shego was on the cards.

"Kimmie, you will and it might be as soon as today," said Ann.

The teen didn't understand her mother's cryptic comment. Before she could ask for clarification, Ann stood up and peered outside the window. The elder Possible smiled at her daughter. "It sounds like your father and brothers are home. Let's put on that party face, your guests will be arriving shortly, birthday girl."

_**A/N:** I love Ann Possible. She's one cool lady. Speaking of cool mothers, vale MissusBall. You will be greatly missed._


	6. Forever

**Words Hurt, Shego**

_This story is not for profit. It's based on a true argument. The characters and the details have been changed to make it a far more interesting tale. This is a very, very belated birthday ditty for my friend, BD._

_Sorry about the delay in updating, real life has been brutal. A big cheerio to those readers who nudged me along._

**6. Forever**

Kim Possible, the girl who could do anything, simply could not relax. It was her birthday party. Family and her friends who loved her dearly surrounded her; yet she was a ball of nervous energy. She was doing everything in her power to avoid pacing around her home. The hero was alert; her heart was beating faster than any mission she had ever been on. Jumping out of a plane was nothing compared to this situation; free falling was fun. The sinking feeling in her stomach was not.

Kim was not interested in the party proceedings. She could hear Ann Possible, Betty Director and Andrea Stoppable, Ron's mother, chatting in the kitchen. James Possible was controlling proceedings around the barbeque outside. Even though it was low-tech for the scientist, he found the action of turning meat therapeutic. When Kim had last checked, Elliot Stoppable was giving her father statistics for deaths due to food poisoning from undercooked meat and other barbeque related fatalities.

She was also oblivious to her party guests especially those planted a few feet away from her, her brothers, her school friend Felix Renton, her cousin Larry and the Wegos. They were all loudly locked in battle, a modified version of the robotic wars. Ann Possible had read the young men the riot act. In fear of her furniture, the good doctor declared they were under no circumstances to have robots in her living room. Ever. Wade Load, computer genius extraordinaire, quickly modified the game so the enthusiastic players could do battle, broadcasting through the large plasma television located in the Possible living room.

Her brothers were just being their dweebie selves. She couldn't understand why her nerdy and annoying cousin was even invited. It wasn't as if she even liked him. The guy would not shut up about role-playing games, science fiction and fan fiction. Who in their right mind wrote and read fan fiction? Kim suspected her mother invited him out of familial obligations. The teen did like Felix, he was a one of a handful of people she trusted enough to call a friend but when he was engaged in his favorite pastime, he was one of the boys.

She suspected her brothers of inviting the Wegos. The two sets of twins got on famously. Out of costume the Wego twins were just regular boys, and polite ones at that, unlike their older sister. Shego. Kim's mind went back to her girlfriend. She just wanted to speak to the former villainess. The argument had gone on long enough but she just didn't have the guts to be the one who broke first. She feared the older woman rejecting her, but that didn't stop her wanting Shego there on her birthday.

The redhead was seated on the sofa in the Possible living room. Her view of the front door and window to the street was unimpeded. Her Kimmunicator was placed next to her, and the home phone had been adjusted to the loudest volume setting. Maybe it was wishful thinking but Kim was determined not to miss any incoming calls or any visitors. Kim chastised herself for being completely irrational and emotional but she couldn't help it. A song that her parents were fond of playing throughout her childhood and was imprinted on her brain came to mind. Kim quietly sang to herself,

_It's my party, and I'll cry if I want to_

_Cry if I want to, cry if I want to_

_You would cry too if it happened to you_

Movement in her peripheral vision brought Kim back to her surroundings. Monique had entered the room. Along with Ann, her best platonic girlfriend had been hovering around all afternoon. Kim could see the concern in the dark brown eyes. She had to reassure her friend that she was fine but it was not a convincing performance. The chocolate skinned woman made her way over to the sofa. She wasn't alone. Monique was leading a young child towards Kim, Hana Stoppable. The three year old lifted her arms indicating she wanted to be picked up. Kim obliged.

"Hey Hana, are you having a good time?" asked Kim. She was fond of the little girl and treated her as a little sister.

The toddler did not respond. She looked like she was about to cry. Kim immediately showed her concern to the child in her lap, "What's the matter sweetie? Are you hungry? Do you want to play a game?" Hana shook her little head.

"Are you ill?" There was another negative response. Kim touched the girl's hair in a soothing action. "Are you upset? Because if you are, you can tell me and I'll try and make it better. You're my little Hana-bana."

"Ronnie snot here."

"Oh, you miss Ron?" Hana nodded. Kim was missing her best friend too and wondered what could be keeping him. It had been hours since he mysteriously called to say he would be late.

"I do too Hana. He said he would be here soon. You know Ronnie keeps his word, right?" she asked reassuringly.

The little girl nodded.

"You know what sweetie? I think we need to tickle Aunty Monique. I think someone has been holding out on us and knows where Ronnie is." Olive eyes met brown. Monique let out a squeal and quickly made an excuse to leave the room. The redhead urged the toddler to follow which she gleefully did.

Kim suspected that Monique knew more than she was letting on. Instead of being completely supportive, Monique changed the subject whenever Ron or Shego's names were mentioned. If you can't complain to your BGF, whom could you complain to? Besides, the dark skinned woman was normally upfront about matters. Skirting around the issue was not Monique's M.O. She would tackle her friend later to find out what the sitch was exactly.

The redhead could hear laughter coming from the patio. It wasn't the sound of Hana attacking Monique in a tickle fest. "Mom, is everything alright?" Kim called out.

"Everything is fine, honey. Actually Kimmie, could you come out here? Please make sure you bring the boys with you."

"Okay." The teen assumed James and Elliot had finished barbecuing and they were ready to eat. She got up and walked over to the television and announced that chow was on. There were no arguments, or comments, even from Cousin Larry. There were no requests to eat in front of the television. Just complete compliance and silence. Kim was surprised by the reaction and was starting to get very suspicious.

The feeling intensified when she noticed the kitchen was deserted. Full salad bowls, baskets of bread, and a pan of baked vegetables lined the counters. The food wasn't ready for serving. Okay, this is weird thought the hero. Beyond the glass sliding door, she could see her parents, the Stoppables and Betty Director giggling. Monique held Hana who was pointing at something out of view.

Curiosity got the better of the redhead. She marched out purposely. She needed to get to the bottom of whatever was holding everyone's attention. "Mom, what is going on?"

"Hey KP."

She turned in the direction of the familiar voice. "Ron, where have you been? I have been so worried." Well that wasn't quite true. Ron could take care of himself. Kim wanted him around for moral support. He had been there for every birthday of their long friendship.

For the first time she noticed what her friend was wearing. "Ron, what the heck are you wearing?" Kim noticed that he was not alone. With Ron were Drakken, and two of his henchmen, Bob and Becker. They were all dressed similarly as priests. Bob and Becker just looked very sweaty and uncomfortable even without their hoods. Ron looked quite convincing. Too bad he was Jewish. Drakken on the other hand looked like something a priest would expel in an exorcism. It was unnerving.

"Ummm... KP. We just ask for the next few moments, that you don't speak and just enjoy. This is part of your birthday present. Can you do that?" Kim nodded.

Ron moved closer to the other three men. "Hit it Mr Dr P." Music blared from a portable sound system that wasn't there earlier.

_RON - How do you solve a problem like Shego?_

_DRAKKEN - How do you catch a cloud and pin it down?_

_BOB - How do you find a word that means Shego?_

_BECKER - A flibbertigibbet!_

_RON - A will-o'-the-wisp!_

_BOB - A melt down!_

_DRAKKEN - Many a thing you know you'd like to tell her,_

_Many a thing she ought to understand._

_BOB - But how do you make her stay_

_And listen to all you say,_

_DRAKKEN - How do you keep a wave upon the sand?_

_BOB - Oh, how do you solve a problem like Shego?_

Kim just stared at the four men performing. They sang it well and were quite polished but it was lost on the redhead. Her brain knew the music, it was very, very recognizable but she struggled to place the song. All she heard was Shego and how to solve a problem like Shego. Was Shego here? Were they going to make up? For the first time in weeks the anxious feeling in her stomach was gone. There was hope. Kim looked around for her girlfriend. She was disappointed that Shego was nowhere to been seen.

The teen then noticed the song had finished and another began. Nothing happened. The four performers looked expectantly towards the back of the garage. After a few bars, Ron nudged Drakken and the pair walked in the direction of the garage. They emerged dragging a reluctant Shego. Shego was carrying a white unicorn with a spiral rainbow horn. Kim couldn't decide whether to pay attention to Shego or the stuffed toy. Shego won out. She looked hot! Kim could focus on the unicorn later.

Ron called out to James Possible, "Hit play again Mr Dr P, song two this time."

Shego stood woodenly before Kim waiting for the music to recommence. She slowly started to sing,

_Raindrops on roses and heroes on missions_

_Bright copper belles and warm wooly admissions_

_Redheaded packages tied up with strings_

_These are a few of my favorite things_

_Cream colored cocoa and rich snickerdoodles_

_Door bells and doom rays and Commodore poodles_

_Wild cheese that turns into Coon in a zing_

_These are a few of my favorite things_

Shego's movements were a cross between a prance and a dance. The unicorn was being thrown around in time with the music. It was obvious Shego was not a natural dancer and unlike her fighting style she was not light on her feet. It was all a little stilted. To her credit she continued. Her singing voice surprised Kim. Her girlfriend could hold a tune.

_Girls in pink dresses with green satin sashes_

_Snowflakes that melt on my nose and eyelashes_

_Silver white winters that melt into Springs_

Kim stared with wonder. She had never seen the green woman look so beautiful. Kim thought Shego was dead sexy when she wore the green and black unitard, but this... Today's outfit... It went beyond any fantasy. This was now embossed on her mind forever. The redhead decided that from now on when they were role-playing; the onzie was out, as was her cheerleading outfit. This was much more naughty, so much more adult.

_When the dog bites_

_When the bee stings_

_When I'm feeling sad_

_I simply remember my favorite things_

_And then I don't feel so bad_

The teen could not wait for the song to end. Shego would have to sing to her some other time. She needed to touch her girlfriend now. Before her family and friends, she launched herself from the patio onto the older woman, knocking her to the ground mid song, the unicorn cushioning her fall. Kim could hear Shego gasp in surprise. Kim showered the green face before her in kisses.

"Pumpkin that hurt. A little warning would have been nice."

"Happy birthday, Kimmie," the teen said before she captured black lined lips between her own, kissing her girlfriend passionately.

KPKPKPKP

The blond teen ventured outside the large cavernous room of the lair, which was dubbed the 'war room' by the henchmen. Ron thought that perhaps the unitard wearing muscle men needed something so masculine to take away from the fact they were in fact participating in something that was far from it. The room was where the team was setting in motion their plans to woo Kim. Proceedings were not going well. Ron Stoppable needed to take a breather from the ongoing tension.

The teen leaned against the wall in the corridor. He tried to get rid of the tightness from his body using the techniques he had used while studying to be the monkey master. What the heck was I thinking, thought the teen? Even though Shego had willingly agreed at the start to go along with any plan Ron devised without argument, this was never going to be the case. The green woman was not capable of letting anything pass without expressing her displeasure. The comments were flowing with ease and were often very sarcastic and caustic.

Shego did not react well to the unveiling of Ron's plans. To say she was flabbergasted was an understatement. Drakken on the other hand kept clapping his tiny black-gloved hands with glee. He was delighted and declared that 'this was better than karaoke'. Shego did not appreciate his enthusiasm; he was only getting on her nerves. Each time Drakken clapped his hands, she had sent a sudden blast of plasma in his direction.

Ron thought back on his conversation with Shego. The green woman seemed genuinely anxious at the idea of performing for her girlfriend.

"Shego, I really don't understand what you're getting so worked up about," said the teen. The former villainess performed for the world's media, playing the villain character for all it was worth. This in comparison should be a breeze for her.

"Because," was the blunt reply.

"But why?"

"Because," repeated Shego petulantly.

He was going around in circles. Ron rubbed his temples. "Shego, please explain this to me. What is the issue?"

"Why do I have to be the one that has to do this?" Shego murmured.

"We have been through this before. Kim walked away from you because you upset her, remember?" Ron said running his hand through his blond hair. He tried another tack. "Wouldn't you love to be serenaded?"

Drakken decided to join the conversation. "Ronald is right, Shego. You did upset Miss Possible. This is a lovely gesture."

Shego tensed up at the observation. "That's besides the point. Why do I always have to be the one to be making a fool of myself to tell Kimmie I love her? Why am I the one that has to put it on the line for Princess?" Shego demanded.

Ron looked at the older woman quizzically, "You've done this before?"

"Not on this grand scale." Ron raised an eyebrow. That comment caught his attention. Before he could say anything, the raven-haired beauty spoke, "How do you think Kimmie came out to her family?"

Ron gestured for Shego to continue. Shego shook her head before relying, "Oh, no, it was embarrassing enough at the time. I'm not going there, Stoppable. That's all you're getting from me."

The men looked disappointed. He wasn't sure about Drakken, but Ron was hoping for all the juicy details. He realized that Kim had been tight lipped on that one. The hero made a mental note to try and get the information out of his childhood friend over a nacho.

Shego continued, "Look, basically I'm not comfortable with this." She gestured to the men around her and then to herself. "I don't want to appear weak. What about my reputation? I worked hard to get respect. I'm the bad girl remember?"

Ron chuckled. "No one will think you're weak. In regards to your reputation, no offense to Dr D, but you worked for Dr D, Shego, and for years nothing ever went to plan, and where did you end up? Working for GJ. That's a bigger rep killer."

Shego did not seem pleased. Drakken took the statement in the spirit in which it was intended. "No offense taken Ronald. Shego, he's right. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain. So why not try? You can't go wrong with a well-placed song. It strikes at the heart. It shows you care, and you do care."

"From what Kim told me it won't be a big party, so you will be amongst family and friends."

Ron and Drakken took turns in trying to coax Shego. When Drakken brought up the idea of using a mind control chip on the green woman, Ron thought for sure everything was lost. The teen was amazed at the older man's gumption. Even he knew how Shego felt about mind control. To his credit, Drakken just picked himself off the floor where Shego had forced him to the ground with a plasma blast and just continued.

The teen began to have a newfound respect for Drakken. He had put up with Shego for years, and yet they called the blue scientist the madman. She was incorrigible. It seemed like forever before she capitulated.

The teen knew that he was being a little harsh but it had been a trying few days for all involved. Ron did like the green woman any other time. He knew that the former thief dearly loved his best friend, and that they were pushing her well out of her comfort zone to prove it. The fact that none of them had been maimed was a positive sign, but they had been threatened, yelled at, and had plasma thrown in their direction numerous times. Thankfully the room was heatproof and they were all good at ducking. Drakken it seemed, was really, really fond of show tunes, even at the expense of his own safety.

Ron took a long breath and prepared himself for the onslaught. He was ready. He just had to convince Shego she was as well. The teen walked back into the 'war room'.

"No, Shego, that's not how it's done." said Drakken. The blue man was trying to help Shego with the choreography. Drakken as it turned out was a natural director. The pale woman on the other hand was not gifted. Shego was a graceful fighter, making the most complex martial art move look easy but this did not translate to simple dance moves. No matter how many times she attempted the ball change, the martial artist looked quite clunky and self-conscious. She tried again.

"No, no, no. Like this, Shego," instructed Drakken. He repeated the move. "You don't have to do too much."

"I'm surprised you haven't asked me to pull out the jazz hands and the spirit fingers Dr D," the green woman said sarcastically.

Ron could not help himself and said the first thing that came into his head, "Those aren't spirit fingers, these are spirit fingers and these are gold!" The blond stretched out his hands and his fingers started to wiggle. Drakken chuckled in response.

Shego looked at him suspiciously. "Really, Stoppable? You're quoting Bring It On now?" Ron could feel his face redden in response.

"Well, I was a cheerleader you know," Ron, said defensively. He decided to put it back onto Shego. "Considering you knew the quote makes me think Kim has made you watch the film just as many times as what she did with me. Did you watch it for Kim or for Eliza Dushku like I did?"

Green features flushed. "Touché," admitted Shego.

Drakken clapped his hands to get their attention, "Might I remind you both we are running out of time. Shego, please try again."

She tried again a few times and faltered. "Aaaaaah!" The former villainess exploded. "This is insane! I am the most dangerous and sexiest woman on the planet, why am I not getting this?"

"You're trying too hard. You just have to sell it," Drakken replied simply.

"How did you know so much about this Blue Boy?" Oh-oh, thought Ron, Shego was going to take her frustration out on Drakken once more.

"Shego, please we have already gone through this several times. You know I love musical theatre and karaoke. As much as you will ridicule me for saying so, all that time I spent in front of the mirror with a hair brush, has done me no harm."

Drakken continued, his tone as reassuring, "Shego, you're trying too hard. You know the song. You know the routine, but we can see you all but count the beats as you perform it. Don't worry if you miss something. A good performer doesn't let a mistake stop them, a good performer carries on regardless."

"Dr D, this isn't a Disney audition," said Shego dryly.

Drakken chuckled. "Regardless Shego, stop over thinking and just let the music take you. If you need to improvise, then do it. I know you can do this. You can do this."

Ron was impressed by Drakken's pep talk. He had not heard the man sound so lucid and so calming.

"I don't know Dr D, facing Global Justice and Betty was never this scary." The raven-haired woman still didn't sound confident.

Ron took the baton and ran with it. "Shego, you aren't doing this alone. You're right; you're not auditioning for Disney, or the awesome American Starmaker. Drakken, the boys and I are not professional back up dancers either. Remember why you're doing this. It's for Kim. She won't be judging you. She will appreciate any effort you make. Trust me with this."

Shego considered the teen's words, "Are you sure?"

"Yes!" the males in the room said unanimously.

"Alright, alright, I get it. Okay, lets do this again."

Ron watched Shego run through the number three more times. It still wasn't perfect but Shego wasn't as robotic in her movements. Thankfully she had a surprisingly lovely singing voice. The trouble started when it was time to go to Kim's birthday party, when the group had to dress for their roles.

Ron placed a black cassock and clerical collar over his red shirt and khaki pants. His white shoes stood out by the contrast. Bob and Becker removed their hoods, their hair flattened and sweaty. Their unitards were completely covered beneath their robes. Drakken did not bother with the cassock, instead placing the clerical collar around his blue coat. The look did not make him any more angelic.

Shego initially seemed pleased when she was handed her black veil with the green coif, but went into a serious panic when her employer handed her the remainder of her outfit. "Drakken, there is no chance in hell I'm going to wear this. Where is the rest of it?" she demanded. She looked with disdain at the short habit, green apron, black woolen belt, fishnets and black boots.

"We felt that perhaps the outfit could distract everyone from your dancing, Shego. You've always been proud of your legs. This is the perfect vehicle to do that," said Drakken.

Shego did not look happy and immediately expressed her displeasure, "Oh great! So now I'm so terrible that the only way to save myself is to dress like a hooker. I'm not doing this!"

"Shego, we aren't saying that at all," said Drakken.

"Then what was going on in those tiny brains of yours when you all came up with this tarty ensemble?"

Ron answered as diplomatically as he could, "We figured we'd channel that sexy confidence you have in abundance."

Shego's intense green eyes narrowed. "You do realize that Kimmie's entire family will be there."

The blond hero flushed. He had not thought of that. He could now see James Possible firing up the rockets. He would cross that bridge when he got to that. Right now he had other headaches.

"Where the hell did you get this?" the former villainess demanded.

The men looked at each other. Bob nudged his boss. Drakken spoke for them, "Well Shego, my mother made it."

Shego's brows furrowed. "Your mother made this?"

Drakken became defensive. "Yes, Shego my mother made this for you."

"How the hell did you even explain this one to her?"

Drakken's body language became very closed as he justified his actions, "I simply told her that we are going to a soiree where there were lots of doctors, and you were hoping to find yourself a partner. Mother agreed in an instant."

"You know why your mom agreed?" asked Shego.

Drakken shook his head. For the first time in a long time her face showed a hint of humor. "She's hoping you'll pick yourself up a doctor too. What will you tell your mother when you come up empty handed, Drewbie?"

Ron could see the panic in Drakken's face. At least Shego wasn't yelling at them anymore.

KPKPKPKP

Shego never felt so nervous as she waited her turn behind the Possible garage. How did people do this for a living, she thought. From her vantage point the four men dressed as priests were doing well. Drakken was giving it all he had, much like he did at karaoke. She would tease the henchmen later about being Drakken's cha-cha dancers when she wasn't so stressed and her heart wasn't in her throat. Was Stoppable adding spirit fingers? The Buffoon was now improvising? Shego never remembered that in rehearsals.

The green woman breathed deeply as the music faded. It was her turn and she was rooted to the spot. Oh dear God, I'm going to humiliate myself. What was I thinking? Before she could answer, Drakken and Stoppable dragged her forward. Shego clutched the unicorn for dear life. Kimmie better love this or we are so over was Shego's last thought before she was flung to a spot near the barbeque. She registered the smell of lamb chops cooking which made her stomach turn before she began singing.

_...Redheaded packages tied up with strings_

_These are a few of my favorite things_

Somehow Shego made her body move. She pretended she was dancing with the unicorn all the while counting the steps in her mind. She couldn't really see Kimmie's reaction, nor did she want to just yet. She did see Betty Director. Was that sadistic bitch crying with her one good eye? Damn. They were all laughing. Double damn.

_... I simply remember my favorite things_

_And then I don't feel so bad_

One minute she was singing and dancing with a unicorn and the next, the stuffed toy was beneath her with the pointy bit in the small of her back. On top of her was one hundred and twenty pounds of feminine goodness slobbering all over her face.

"Pumpkin that hurt. A little warning would have been nice," said Shego when she got her breath back.

"Happy birthday, Kimmie," said the redheaded package on top of her before she thoroughly kissed Shego. The former villainess could vaguely hear cheering and wolf whistles in the background but she didn't care. She had her girl back and she had missed her terribly.

A discreet feminine cough brought Shego out of the kiss. She instantly was aware there was an audience. "Shego, I'm glad that you and Kimmie have finally made up but you are flashing us your lady parts. Save it until the pair of you are alone," said Ann, her amusement evident.

Before Shego could pull the offending piece of fabric down she heard the distinct sound of a camera. "Tweebs, what did I tell you? If I find one bit of evidence online you guys are dead meat!" Shego hoped that she sounded menacing enough to deter the mischievous pair.

"It wasn't..."

"... Us."

"Then who?" Who else would dare?

"It was us," said the Wegos simultaneously.

"Guys, I'm warning you, those photos better not get out. I will hurt you."

"Ah-ah, if you don't come to visit us soon, we are showing Hego everything. And we mean everything." For their efforts, the Wegos were receiving high fives from their gaming partners.

Shego was stunned. She thought she was the sneaky one in the family. "Alright but get that camera out of my face. I have a reputation to uphold."

The green woman could feel her girlfriend shaking on top of her. She was giggling. "Sweetie, you have well and truly blown that rep out of the water with your song and dance."

"..."

"She's right Shego. I'm afraid you can no longer call yourself evil. You're as soft as that stuffed toy," said Drakken who was leering down at the pair.

The green woman looked up at her blue boss. Granted, he had gone out of his way to help her, but that didn't mean she wasn't going to get her revenge. No one calls her soft to her face. "Whatever, Drewbie," she said dismissively.

Instead of being offended, the blue man waved his forefinger at her. "Tisk, tisk, Shego. What have we learned from this? Words hurt, Shego."

For once the mad scientist had something sensible to say. It was sobering. Shego addressed her girlfriend, "Listen Kimmie, I was a real bitch and I'm sorry I hurt you like I did. I promise that I will do better."

Kim placed a finger over Shego's lips. "Shhh... We'll talk about it later. The most important thing is you're here. You showed you cared. I love you."

"I love you too." She pecked Kim on the lips. She reached behind her and presented the unicorn to Kim. "And happy birthday. I hope you like him."

The redhead grabbed the toy appreciatively with her free hand. "I love him. Thank you."

"I'm glad."

Shego watched, as Kim's olive eyes turn mischievous. "What are you thinking, Pumpkin?"

"Well Maria, you don't have any excuses now to avoid The Sound of Music sing-a-long." Shego groaned. She knew she couldn't get out of that one now.

Kim continued, "You know, I think I found something you look hotter in than your onzie. Oh baby, are we going to have fun with this outfit."

Shego could hear Ann ushering the guests inside in order to give the pair some privacy. There were still children present. She smiled before responding in kind, "Princess, only if you dress up like a wicked private school girl."

"Okay, you love birds, there is time for this later when you don't have an audience. Right now you need to get off the ground so we can go in and eat. Mr Stoppable has already scared us witless about the statistics of cooked food. Besides, Ron has started without us. He says spending a few days with you Shego has left him totally exhausted and he needs to top up on food before he wastes away," said Monique with a smile as she helped the pair up.

As they made their way into the house Shego could hear Kimmie's Cousin Larry comment, "I bet Charlotte at the comic bookshop never had to put with this many distractions."

"I still hate Charlottes. They're all harlots," declared Kim. Shego giggled at the randomness of the comment.

"Mmmm... I wonder what the chances of finding a single Jewish doctor named Charlotte?" asked Drakken absentmindedly.

"Are you serious? Drakken is on the prowl?" whispered Kim.

"No, but his mother doesn't know that," Shego whispered back. She turned to Drakken and said, "I don't know, Dr D. Why don't you ask the resident actuary?"

Drakken rubbed his hands together. "Good idea, Shego." He raced ahead.

Shego grabbed her girlfriend's hands. "Shall we Birthday Girl?"

"Whatever, Shego," said Kim with a giggle before leading them inside.

KPKPKPKP

**A/N -** Lyrics are from Lesley Gore's 'It's My Party' and from Rodgers & Hammerstein's wonderful musical 'The Sound of Music'. I apologize to any fans for how I have bastardized the lyrics.

The dance scene is from my own pathetic attempts at choreographed dancing. There is footage out there of me trying to hide at the back of the stage wearing a pink feather boa in front of twenty thousand people. It wasn't pretty.

To Stoddapb, yes I do dastardly things to Shego in my stories but she is sexy enough to bounce back.

Happy birthday, BD. I hope you enjoy this story and hope that you will begin to forgive me. Again. I do enjoy our conversations. You keep me on my toes.


End file.
